Whiskey And Cigarettes
by Boondock Jake
Summary: On the way home from a party, Sid once again bails Maxine out of another jam.  Only this time, things get a little too intimate for comfort and starts a reaction that has both of them questioning their friendship.
1. Opening Doors

_A/N: I feel like this is the first ever non crossover Broken Plot fic. I hope I'm wrong as there really should be more given how great of a comic it is. If you've read it, you know the relationship between Sid and Max and to be honest, it's fine the way it is. This is just me being as someone told me once, 'a knack for making crack pairing works'. I'm not sure how much I believe that though. I like this pairing so I thought I'd give it a try as unlikely as it is._

_All characters and places belong to the insanely talented Lis Boriss. Cam belongs to me I guess. _

Whiskey And Cigarettes

"Well that party sucked."

"I didn't ask you to come you know."

"It was either that or watch Liz play that stupid Skyrim game for ten hours straight then freak out about not having her comic ready for tomorrow."

"I thought you enjoyed watching her freak?"

"Usually I do but you know me. I never say no to free booze."

Sid could only shrug in agreement as he and Maxine walked through the chilly darkened streets of the downtown. They passed under brightly decorated street lamps that shone a ray of light below, cutting through the darkness. Shops, restaurants and bars alike were all lit from top to bottom with flashes of red, green and gold. Maxine grimaced as they passed an inflatable wavy armed Santa Claus promoting some sort of used car Christmas special.

"Christ, it's like someone vomited Christmas all over this place." She said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from her back jean pocket. Sid snickered and shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of his leather jacket.

"I always forget how much of the Christmas spirit thrives inside you, Max." He chuckled. The cougar scoffed a laugh as they came to a stop at a busy intersection, passing by a car that was driven by a very large doe. She was dressed in one of those horrible looking Christmas sweaters and fake reindeer antlers on her head. Despite the windows being up, it could very clearly be heard that she was singing along to "Jingle Bell Rock". Badly.

"Just don't expect me to turn into one of those holly jolly freaks." She sighed, blowing a haze of smoke out through her nostrils.

"Believe me, if you ever do, I'll be the first to set you on fire."

"Glad to know I can always count on you, Sid." Maxine told him with a grin and another drag of her smoke. The larger feline returned it and the two continued down the streets like they had done countless times together over the years. Maxine finished the rest of her cigarette and flicked the butt away, the tiny embers flying as they hit the pavement.

"I hope you didn't leave because of me." She blurted out as she brushed away some of her fiery red hair that hung over her right eye and stuck her hands in the front pocket of her sweater, the cold nipping at them. Sid looked at her in surprise, made a face and shook his head. "No of course not. I'm glad you came actually. I'm not that close with the people at my job so these work Christmas parties can get pretty boring. Having you there made it better but I can only stand so much." He said, letting out a yawn.

"Oh? You're telling me that you didn't like that chick trying to dry hump you every time she got near you?" Maxine asked with a sly smile. Sid slapped his hand over his face and dragged it down.

"Don't get me started on Heather. There's not enough time in the day." He grumbled, running a hand through his long blonde hair.

"Why? What's wrong with her? She was pretty much giving it away to you on a silver platter."

"Heather just isn't my type."

Maxine laughed and pulled out another cigarette. "Not your type? Come on, Sid. I've seen the girls you've dated. Brunette, fitness freak, huge rack, how could you say no to that?" She teased him, lighting the tip of her cigarette.

"I don't JUST date those girls for your information. I don't click with Heather. She's too…" Sid paused as he tried to find the words but found he was coming up empty. Maxine watched him form a mental cramp, taking a long drag. Sid caught her looking and rolled his eyes, waving his hand in the air.

"She's just not for me."

Maxine nodded and blew a puff of smoke straight up in the air. "Uh huh. Well when you think of an adjective for her let me know. I saw no reason why you couldn't tap that." She smirked, tapping some ash off the end of her cigarette. Sid muttered something under his breath and focused his gaze on the street ahead of him.

"She sure hated me, I'll tell you that." Maxine mumbled, kicking some snow out of her path.

"What? Why?"

"Apparently she thought I was your girlfriend. Every time I talked to you she gave me the death glare. Not to mention her whispering 'bitch' and 'skank' whenever I passed her to get some Fritos."

"Really? Why didn't you say anything to me?" Sid asked, a bit annoyed that Maxine would keep this from him. She snorted a laugh and gave him a playful slap in the arm.

"Pfft! And what would you of done there, Muscles? Put on your mask and spandex and go all El Rey on her?"

"Shhh! Hey, alter ego here! Don't spread that around! You'll get me killed!" Sid cried, waving his hands up in the air frantically. Maxine laughed again followed by a few coughs this time. The lion crossed his arms across his large chest and gave her a stern glare.

"You still could have told me."

"Oh God, Sid, let it go. You know I'm not for that damsel in distress shit. It takes more than a few words from some Macy's model reject to get under my skin."

Sid continued to gaze sternly at her but it quickly turned into a smile. He laughed to himself as they rounded a corner. They passed a few street Santa's, Sid dropping in any extra change he had in his pocket in their buckets. Further down the sidewalk, they walked by a giant billboard advertising a new horror movie which Maxine reviewed in great length. Sid merely smiled and nodded, never mentioning the fact that he had yet to see it and this was completely ruining it for him. But Maxine seemed into it so why spoil her fun?

They crossed another intersection, headlights casting their shadows across the adjacent road. "You know it's funny." Sid said as he jumped over a puddle of slush (that Maxine had tried to push him in).

"What is?" She asked as she took the last inhale of her cigarette, tossing the butt away into a snow pile.

"Just a trend I've seemed to notice since high school."

"Oh? And that would be?"

"That just about everyone who doesn't know us just assumes that we're dating." Sid replied. Maxine frowned at him and queried, "How'd you figure that?"

"Well, there was tonight, the prom when we went together 'cause that asshole stood you up, when you moved into the apartment, just about every time we go to the beach or out to dinner and ANYWHERE ELSE WE GO." He explained.

"Hmm. I guess you're right. But people are idiots so I'm not surprised that something so stupid would be assumed." Maxine sighed, stretching her arms above her head. Sid stopped walking and frowned. "Oh, so dating me would be stupid?"

Maxine stopped and turned to him with a toothy grin. "Aww. Did I hurt the big kitty's feelings?"

"No, I just don't see what's so stupid about dating me."

His friend sighed, her breath a wisp, rising into the air and crossed her arms. "Do we really need to go there, Sid? Us dating? Let's not open doors we might not be able to close. Why the hell are even talking about this? I sorta just assumed this has always been an unspoken thing between us."

"No, no that's not what I meant at all." Sid exclaimed, shaking his head.

"Well, then what did you mean?"

"I…ugh, never mind. Just forget about it." Sid said and continued to walk. Maxine growled and grabbed his arm as he walked by. "You know I hate that, Sid! Whenever you start to say something then just tell me to 'forget it', it drives me fucking nuts. Now tell me!" She yelled at him, her tail twitching in agitation. Sid breathed hard through his nose and gently pried her off his arm.

"Alright, alright just calm down. All I meant was that it bothers me that you would pass up, not me but a guy _like_ me for one of your 'winner' boyfriends."

"A guy _like_ you?" She repeated, her brow arching in question.

"You know…a…good guy. One who's not going to screw you over or turn out to be a total douchebag. I hate seeing you get hurt." Sid told her softly. Maxine stared at him for a moment and eventually gave a small smile.

"Oh, Sid…" She said softly, gently pressing her palm against his cheek. She then flicked him hard in the ear, a rather tender spot for the lion. He cried out and covered his ear, trying to smother the stinging sensation.

"Ow! What the hell was that for!?"

"Nothing really. I appreciated what you said but I don't do that touchy feely Disney garbage. You know that better than anybody." She lectured and continued to walk on. Sid followed her, still rubbing his ear. "How could I forget?" He mumbled sarcastically.

"Besides, I'm not sure I could stand dating a guy like you. All that chivalry and 'let's talk about our feelings' crap would drive me crazy. That's what's really stupid."

For another few blocks they trudged through the snow and slush until their apartment complex came into view. They passed a few snow sculptures that Liz had no doubt worked all evening on and climbed the front steps. Sid opened the door for her but then slapped his forehead.

"Damn, I just keep doing those nice, _stupid_ things." He said sarcastically. Maxine just gave him a disgusted look while walking through.

"I'm going to bed. Let me know when you get that sand out of your vagina, Romeo." She spat and waved him off as she waked down the hall. She stopped and turned around to find that Sid was following her.

"What are you doing? You apartment is on the third floor, retard."

"True but you have my key. Remember, there was a package for me that came while I was at the mall with Zig today and you dropped it off at my place?" Sid answered. Maxine merely grunted and they traveled down towards her apartment. They were about almost a dozen doors away when suddenly Maxine stopped and let her head fall back in dismay.

"Crap." She hissed quietly. Sid stopped and narrowed his brow at her.

"Now what?"

"I told him not to come by anymore." She whispered to herself. Sid put on a rather puzzled look then followed her gaze. Just down the hall at her apartment door, there was a cheetah maybe a little older than himself. He was dressed in heavy black boots that covered a good bottom portion of his camouflage pants. A heavy leather jacket with random punk and metal band patches were sewn messily all over. He pounded on the door, twitching slightly and scratching his ear as he waited for an answer.

"Another one of your _winners_?" He asked with a smug smile. Maxine shot him a hateful glare and said, "Shut up. I don't want Cam seeing me."

"Which one was Cam again? The one with the drinking problem or the one with the drug problem?"

It looked like the cheetah had finally got tired of waiting. He snorted in the lack of response and took out a flask and took a swig. He then wiped his mouth and snorted very loudly as if trying to expel something from his nostril.

"Ah. The one with both." Sid said to himself. He put his hands on his hips and turned back to Maxine. "Where do you find these guys?"

"Just shut up, Sid! Let's go back out the front…shit he's coming this way!" Maxine moaned as the cheetah caught site of them and began to make his way over. Maxine looked around wildly for some sort of escape but was having little success. Sid couldn't help but laugh.

"You look like Wile E Coyote trying to out run a falling boulder." He snickered.

"Keep laughing. He isn't too fond of you." She shot back. "What? What did I do?" Sid asked, his jovial expression turning to that of confusion.

"I may or may not have told him that you were my new boyfriend to get him out of my hair." She admitted sheepishly, still trying to find a way out. "You did?" Sid asked dumbfounded. He then started to laugh again.

"Oh so now dating someone like me isn't so stupid after all!" He chided with a big toothy grin. Maxine saw that the cheetah was almost upon them. She suddenly grabbed Sid by the collar of his jacket and pushed him against the wall.

"Kiss me." She said.

"What!? Are you insane!?" Sid asked in the utmost serious of tones. "Damnit, Sid, just kiss me!"

"No, Max! I…"

Sid didn't get to finish his sentence as Maxine pulled down hard on his collar and mashed her lips against his own. Sid was practically frozen and wide eyed as the cougar tried to coax him to move his lips against hers. Maxine pulled away and sharply told him, "For Christ's sake, Sid, make it look real!"

She took his hands and placed them firmly behind the small of her back and just below her left buttock. Sid had no time to protest. Maxine pressed her lips tightly against his again, wrapping one hand around his neck and the other resting on his cheek.

Sid had never felt more uncomfortable in his life.

His closet friend in the world, one he had considered like a sister, was kissing him like there was no tomorrow. His brain was firing a million thoughts at once, the most popular being the idea of trying to stop this. His eyes still open, he could see the cheetah staring at them, a look of anger written clear across his face. Sid could still smell the alcohol on him and something else unpleasant. It was then that Sid had to make up his mind. Let this guy know that Maxine was off limits so that he would never bother her again or leave her to deal with another loser.

"_Damnit, Max, you better appreciate this."_

Sid closed his eyes and started to kiss back. He was tentative at first understandably but soon became more open to her advances. Their lips moved against each others perfectly in sync as if they had done it a hundred times together before. Unexpectedly, Sid felt Maxine's tongue trying to pry his teeth to open and even more unexpectedly, he let her. They wrestled each other, one trying to pin the other, gingerly stroking teeth and gum. He felt her hand squeeze the back of his neck which in response caused him to pull her closer to him.

Maxine was good at this. Real good.

Sid had kissed his fair share of women but none were every this…aggressive. And while Sid would never admit it in a thousand years, especially to Max, there was a small part of him that was…_enjoying_ this.

That thought caused him to snap open his eyes and he found that the cheetah was no longer there. He had no idea how long he had been gone for and he relaxed his grip on Maxine.

"Max?" He mumbled through a kiss.

"Mmm?" She moaned softly, lips still working against his. "He's gone."

Maxine slowly opened her eyes, meeting Sid's. They quickly widened and she pushed off him just as fast. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Ugh. Thanks I guess. But I said make it look real, not like you're going for an Oscar." She told him, trying to hide the heat that came to her cheeks. Sid forced a laugh despite not finding any of the situation funny.

"Sorry. You think he will leave you alone now? Now that he thinks there's apparently an…'us'?" He asked. An uncomfortable and rather awkward feeling rattled his nerves as those words left his mouth.

"God I hope so. The last thing I need is another creeper." She sighed. The two felines stood in the middle of the hall for a moment, neither saying a word to each other. Maxine eventually cleared her throat and walked down the hall, Sid following but keeping an awkward distance. Maxine opened the door and grabbed Sid's keys from the bowl next to the door.

"Here." He said, handing them to him. He took them and stared at the little skull and crossbones key chain. Maxine stood at the door and wrapped her arms around herself, her fingers clutching at her 'Mary and the Cannibals' hoodie, eyes on the floor.

"Hey."

Sid snapped his eyes up to meet hers which now rested on him. "Thanks for…you know. It wasn't easy for me either but I'm glad you didn't leave me there with that freak." She said softly and offered him a small smile. Sid just nodded and returned the smile with one of his own and began to walk away.

"Sid?"

He turned back at the sound of his name. Maxine stood outside her door, still clutching her hoodie. "We still on for zombie marathon tomorrow?"

"Of course." He responded with another smile. She nodded and gave him a wave before disappearing behind her door with another sideways glance towards him. Sid stared at the spot where she once was for a moment then turned away to the stairwell. He pushed the doors open and he heard the sound of someone clapping their hands. He looked back to the door and saw Sylver leaning against the wall.

"Bravo, Blondie, bravo." The wolf said with a smug grin. Sid narrowed his eyes at him and growled low in his throat.

"Piss off, Sylver. I'm not in the mood." He spat and started up the stairwell. Sylver pushed off the wall and followed the long haired pirate up the steps.

"I gotta say that was some fine work. You totally could have banged her if you kept going."

The small lupine found himself pushed up against the wall very roughly, Sid's face inches from his own. "I don't want to hear you talk about Max like that. If you so much as utter another sentence like that again, I'll rip off that dumb goatee and shove it up your ass." Sid barked, his voice slightly echoing off the walls. Sylver continued smiling though.

"Easy there, Thor. I got better things to do tonight than swap insults with you so take your cave drawing hands off my threads."

Sid sneered and let him go, continuing his ascent up the stairs.

"You're screwed now, you know that?"

"_Just keep walking, Sid. Don't give him the satisfaction."_ His brain told him. But he stopped anyways, his hand gripping the rail so hard that the skin on his knuckles turned white under his fur. He turned back, gazing down at the canine with an annoyed glare.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked. "Think about it, dude," Sylver said, readjusting his jacket, "You sucked face with your best friend. That changes everything. Can't say I blame you though. She's a total babe, in an 'I'll stab you through the eye if you look at me' kinda way."

"You don't know what happened. You don't even know what you're talking about."

"I don't? Let me ask you this, Sid; when you kissed her, how long did it take for that little spark to go off in your brain that told you what you were doing was so wrong but there was that small sliver of pleasure?" He questioned, raising a brow.

Sid didn't say anything but Sylver could clearly see that he had struck the right chord by the way Sid's tail flickered back and forth.

"Pretty soon you'll be starting to ask yourself a whole boat load of questions about your friendship. You'll start thinking about her more and more. Seeing her with other guys will start to drive you nuts. Shit will start breaking down so fast with you two that soon, whatever you had, will be gone."

"What makes you so knowledgeable on such a subject?" Sid asked, trying to ignore what he said. But somewhere deep in his stomach, a small knot of fear started to form.

"What? You think you're the only guy to have pulled such a stupid move?" Sylver mumbled, looking away. Sid noticed his sudden change in demeanor and was surprised. Sylver was the last person on Earth he figured would have an emotional experience that didn't include gelling his hair.

"What happened?" He found himself asking. Sylver crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back against the cold cement wall.

"I had a friend a couple years ago I was pretty close with like you and Max. We hung out a lot but it was completely platonic. Then one night we went to a kegger and got pretty hammered. Next thing I know we're in the back of my car getting hot and heavy."

Sid watched as the wolf paused, the events clearly replaying in his mind. Why Sid cared, he had no idea. Sylver was always a bit of a pathetic, fake little man who seemed to only have an interest in himself and his image. But he did have his moments when a real person would seem to try and emerge.

"After that, things just went to hell. We tried to play it off as nothing, just a dumb mistake. But then our hangouts became awkward and weird. I was thinking about her more and more and in a more intimate way and she could see it. After a while, she started to avoid me and ended up dating a guy I couldn't stand. Truth is, there wasn't anything wrong him. I just hated him because it wasn't _me_."

Shifting uncomfortably on his feet, Sid gave him an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Sylver."

"Pfft! Whatever. I don't want any sympathy from some Def Leppard wannabe on steroids. I'm glad she's gone. Otherwise I wouldn't have turned into the Mac Daddy I am today, scoring chicks while you spend all your time with video games and toy models." Sylver sneered at him, returning back to his normal self. Sid rolled his eyes and shook his head as he turned back up the stairs.

"Just wait and see, man! Things are going to get screwed up for you and fast!" Sylver called out after him. He grinned in victory and turned back to go down the steps only to trip over his own feet and end up tumbling down the staircase. Sid heard the crash and bangs as well as Sylver screaming out after each one. He smiled to himself thinking, _"What do you know? Wishes really do come true."_

Sid casually made his way back to his apartment, trying to ignore the impact of Sylver's words. He mentally shook them off as he opened his door, dropping the keys on a nearby hook.

"_Forget about it, man. He's just trying to get to you like he always does. You and Max have too strong a bond to let something like this get to us." _ He thought. Taking off his jacket and throwing it on a nearby chair, he went over to his fridge and grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels. He looked for a glass but found that most of them were in the sink in need of a desperate wash. Shrugging, he unscrewed the cap and took a massive swig. Sid wiped his mouth and put the bottle back. He wandered over to his couch and plopped down, grabbing the remote. He had record the last episode of Game of Thrones and had been waiting all week to watch it.

At first it was a little hard to concentrate on the show what with everything that just happened with Maxine and Sylver's ranting but he soon found himself forgetting about it, enjoying the sound of steel clashing and heads being decapitated. After the show had finished, Sid didn't feel all that tired. He had an uneasy sense of restlessness so decided that maybe a work out would wear him out for a good night's sleep.

Not in the mood to walk the few blocks to the twenty four hour gym, he set up the chin-up bar that Sunny had gotten him for last year's Secret Santa. He stretched and warmed up for almost ten minutes before practically leaping at the bar, grabbing the grips tightly as his muscles tensed. Sid polished out almost forty reps per the five sets he did, his biceps screaming at him to stop. He let go, breathing heavy and rested for about five minutes before diving into push ups. For the next hour and a half, Sid pushed his entire upper body to the limit.

On the last bicycle crunch he performed, he lay spread eagle on the floor, panting. His shoulders, arms, chest and abdomen were so exhausted that it ached to even get up. He wiped the sweat from his forehead before discarding his clothes and heading for the shower. The hot water was a welcoming relief to his muscles, the aches and pains slowly starting to fade. He leaned his head against the wall, eyes closed as the water poured down his muzzle.

The image of Maxine and the taste of her lips reappeared in his head and he opened his eyes as quickly as he shut them. That small knot he had felt earlier suddenly grew a little bigger. Sid rubbed his face and shook his head.

"_You're letting it get to you, man. Yeah it was weird but you were helping her out. You couldn't just leave her alone with that junkie. You know that. Sometimes we gotta do the craziest things to protect our friends, right? Once you get a good twelve hours of sleep you'll forget this even happened. Hell, you'll probably even laugh about it." _

Feeling better both mentally and physically, Sid stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. Slipping on a pair of pajama bottoms, he walked over to his fridge once more, pulling out a premade protein shake. Chugging down the rich, thick substance, he padded over to his DVD shelf. He picked out a few films from his vast collection of movies about the dead returning to life to feast on the living, some of his favorites and some Maxine was fond of. He set them down on his coffee table along with the now empty glass and headed to his room. He shut the door behind him and flicked off the switch, darkness enveloping him.

He fell onto his bed face first, not moving. Then he rolled around until he was under the sheets, warmth and comfort easing its way into his body. He stared at the ceiling, blanking his mind so that it matched the blackness around him. He waited to see if anything would pop into his mind whether it be Maxine or Sylver's so called hopeless situation.

But there was nothing.

The knot was gone and replaced by an overwhelming feeling of lethargy. A small wave of relief came over him as he tucked his arms behind his head. He should have known better than to let that putz get under his skin with his usual bullshit. Everything was fine and it would be the way it has always been with Maxine. He even felt himself chuckle at such a ridiculous hypothetical future.

Sid's eyelids grew heavy and was soon asleep. It had been a long day with some unexpected events for the lion. What was even more unexpected was the dream that followed, replaying the kiss he shared with Maxine over and over again.

And somewhere, deep within Sid's brain, there was a little door that had creaked open just the tiniest of ways.

_A/N: Well, there you have it. I had a lot of fun with this story. The characters are so awesome that it's impossible to not have fun with them. I left the ending open for the sake of if people like it enough and want to see it continued then I could give it a shot. Defiantly not trying to push this pairing on anybody as I said before, the character relationship is fine the way it is now. Anyways, if you haven't read the comic, do so right now. Well, that's all for now. Cya!_


	2. A Friendly Ear

_A/N: I've been working on this story for the last little while now and while I haven't finished, I decided I would post a few chapters that I finished here and there just to see how it looks. Generally I don't post stories until they are finished but I made an exception with this one. Anyways, enjoy!_

* * *

><p>"That's a new one."<p>

Zig commented as he watched a zombie being decapitated by a weed whacker, the sound of blood and gore splattering intensely from the television's speakers. The iguana leaned back in his spot on the sofa and took another sip of his soda. Zombie movies were never really much of his forte but Sid had got him hooked into them recently. Zig reached down by his feet and picked up a bag of pretzels and offered them to the lion himself.

"Pretzel, Sid?...Sid?"

When he received no response, Zig turned his head to see Sid on his side of the couch, one arm posted on the arm rest, his chin in his hand and his eyeballs glued to the screen. At least that's what it looked like. While Sid may have had his gaze focused on the screen, his mind was nowhere near the movie.

"Sid!" Zig called out. The blonde feline suddenly jolted as if he had been shocked by something. He stared at the reptile beside him, eyebrows arched in question.

"Hmm? What was that, Zig?"

"I asked if you wanted some pretzels."

"Oh...no thanks." Sid replied and returned to his previous posture. Zig blinked a few times before returning his attention back to the movie.

_"That was weird."_ He thought. Sid wasn't one to be so quiet and reserved during a splatter film. He usually hooted and hollered when the mayhem began or would point out what he would have done differently when killing the undead. This was the third movie in their marathon and he had barely said a word all afternoon.

What was even stranger was that Zig was even here at all. Zombie marathons and films in general were mainly Sid and Maxine's thing. Those two could go on for hours dissecting every little detail and plot line. To say he was surprised when Sid told him she had canceled on him would be an understatement. Zig cast another glance at him in his current state and could see that it was quite clear something was on his mind. But he wasn't one to pry so he remained silent.

The movie began to finish up and as the credits started to scroll up the screen, Zig stretched his arms over his head.

"Well that was pretty good. Wasn't really expecting it to be." He said and cleaned his glasses. Again there was no response and Zig frowned to see Sid doing exactly what he had been doing since they started their marathon. That pensive stare and posture that screamed he was thinking about something important. Sighing, Zig dropped his arms and crossed them over his chest. His previous thought not to pry was soon pushed away as he didn't think he could take too much more of this.

"Sid." Zig called loudly and firmly, knocking the lion out of his trance again.

"Huh? What?" Sid said as if he had just woken up. Zig motioned with his eyes to the TV. Sid turned back to the screen and saw the credits rolling.

"Oh." He simply said and stood up to eject the DVD from the player. "Oh? Just oh?" Zig asked in disbelief.

"No social commentary? No disembowelment critique? No alternate plot lines?"

"Uh...no, I guess not." Sid merely said and took out the CD and clipped it back into its case. Zig didn't say anything but watched as Sid absent mindlessly toyed with the edges of the DVD case. Rolling his eyes, Zig leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and sighed loudly.

"Okay, Sid, what's going on?" He asked straight up. Sid arched his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?" He replied.

"Well, I've been over here for the last three and a half hours watching these movies with you and you've barely spoken since we sat down. I've watched movies with you before and you're anything but quiet. I'm really not one to pry into people's personal space but there's obviously something bothering you."

"I'm fine." Sid merely grunted and returned the case back to its spot on the shelf. Zig twisted around and leaned an arm over the back rest and gave him a worried look.

"Is it me? Are you...uncomfortable?" Zig asked somewhat reserved. Sid shook his head and turned back to the iguana with a serious and tired look.

"Zig," He said firmly, "We talked about this already. I don't care that you're gay. It doesn't make me feel uncomfortable. You are my friend and that's not going to change."

Zig smiled slightly at his statement but his face molded back into another look of confusion and worry. "Well…what is it then?" He asked.

Sid stared at him for a moment before letting out a large sigh and running both hands through his wild golden mane. He paced back and forth for a moment as if trying to piece together his thoughts, Zig patiently waiting for him to begin. Finally Sid sat down on the arm of the sofa and met his friend's gaze.

"Can I ask you a kind of weird question, Zig?" He queried, scratching the back of his neck.

"Uh, sure I guess. Unless it's how many sixth graders you could beat up at once. I already told you, it would be forty two."

"No, no, that's…really? Only forty two? Ah! That's not what I'm asking."

"Oh. Well then shoot." Zig told him, leaning back into the couch and folding his hands across his lap. Sid scratched his chin and adverted his gaze to random objects in the room.

"Do you think…if you've been friends with someone for a long time and to help them out of a jam…" He paused and looked back to the lizard. Zig held his hands up in question.

"And?"

"And you had to kiss her…" Sid paused again. "Would that screw up the friendship?"

Zig blinked at him a few times before scrunching his face in bewilderment.

"Really? That's your question? You're joking right?" He asked in all seriousness. Sid frowned at him and stood up. "Never mind."

"No, wait." Zig said, standing up himself. "I didn't mean anything by it. It's just, I thought you of all people would know the answer to something like that."

Sid said nothing and stared at the blank TV screen, his reflection staring back at him. Zig re adjusted his glasses and continued.

"To answer your question, Sid, no. I don't think that screws anything up. If you're friends and it was just to help her out then why should it? Why are you asking me this? Did you kiss someone?"

Sid turned back to him and pinched the bridge of his muzzle, trying to block out the memory of last night. Zig read his body language and knew he had his answer.

"So you did. Was it Liz?"

"No." Sid grumbled and sat back down on his couch, hands covering his face. Zig scratched the top of his head and kept guessing.

"Inix?"

"What? No. Look, Zig, let's just forget I said anything, okay? We got like, three more movies to get through." Sid interrupted. But Zig was far too interested in this to stop now. His curiosity was at a high and he felt a compulsive need to know the individuals name.

"Was it Sunny? I can see how you would feel about that seeing as she's dating Sylver and all."

"Zig. DROP IT."

"Sorry but it's really a curious…" Zig began than stopped in mid-sentence. His eyes went wide when the realization hit him and his jaw slightly dropped. Sid watched his reaction and frowned.

"Max? You kissed _Max_?" Zig asked, the incredulity more than evident in his voice. Sid just sighed and looked away, casting a stare towards a frost rimmed window. Zig merely stared at him for a moment before awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.

"Well…that's…uh…" He muttered trying to find the right words. "Insane?" Sid grumbled, still focused on the window.

"I was going to say weird actually. Now I can see why you've been so mentally pre occupied today."

The lion said nothing, the back of his head the only thing that answered the reptile. Zig was aware that this had suddenly become very sensitive territory and he knew it was best to tread lightly. He sat down on the other end of the couch and crossed his arms.

"Did…something serious happen between you guys or something?"

"No, no, just…" Sid started before trailing off, his gaze now focused on his lap.

"Just what?"

"I just helped her out is all. Some ex of hers wouldn't leave her alone so to get him off her back, we sort of…made out. He got the point I think but that was that. Nothing else." Sid explained, leaning back into the cushions.

"Okay. I can understand why that would be on your mind. You and Max doing…that…it's uh, it's weird for sure. But I still think what I said stands. It was just to help her right? There wasn't any emotion involved, right?" Zig asked.

"Right." Sid said although with very little strength in his voice. Zig could pick up on it and said, "I feel like there's a 'but' coming."

"But…I…kind of…sort of…maybe…liked it." Sid almost whispered the last part so quietly, Zig almost didn't hear it. The programmer felt his eyelids rise up in surprise. Another revelation he wasn't expecting. Sid let out a disgusted sigh and rolled his eyes, punching the couch cushion with a clenched fist.

"Not to mention dreaming about the whole thing again. I can't believe Sylver was right…"

"Woah, woah. What's this about Sylver?" Zig asked, his attention fully focused on the feline's last statement. Sid moaned in contempt and rubbed a hand over his face, tail starting to twitch as the aggravating wolf's words echoed in his head.

"Sylver saw what happened and he told me this story about how something similar happened to him and it destroyed a friendship because he ended up liking the girl after. He told me Max and I would be screwed now."

Zig let out a chuckle and leaned back against the arm rest, hands behind his head. Sid cocked an eyebrow at his response. "I think I may have figured out your problem." The iguana snickered.

"Enlighten me then, sensei." Sid retorted amusingly despite the seriousness he felt in the situation.

"Well, number one," He began, holding up his index finger, "You're listening to Sylver. Nuff said, Sid."

"I don't know, Zig. Usually I would agree with you but you weren't there. He seemed pretty genuine in his story."

"Again, this is Sylver we're talking about. It's no secret that he doesn't like you. You don't think that he would pull a stunt like that to put a scare in you?"

Sid paused in his thoughts. He had definitely considered it and thought the same thing last night. But after the dream and Max canceling on him for the marathon this morning, it was getting a little too close for comfort. He opened his mouth to speak but Zig cut him off as if reading his mind.

"I'm going to stop you there, Sid." Zig cut in, holding up a hand. "I think you need to take a step back and just relax. How long has it been since your last relationship?"

Sid stared at him, confused by such an out of the blue question. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"I'll take that as meaning it's been awhile." Zig snickered. Sid narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms in a huff. "It hasn't been that long..." He murmured.

"Okay, okay, relax. My point is, I think everything your feeling isn't all that confusing if you think about it."

"Huh?"

"You kissed Max and you liked it. That's not something you should beat yourself up for. We've established that it's been a...certain time frame since your last dating venture and Max is very attractive...for a girl that is. Even as a friend you can appreciate that, right?" Zig asked.

"Well, sure I guess." Sid answered. It was true. Maxine had always been like a sister to him but he knew there was a reason she got hit on every night they went out to a bar or to a concert.

"What I'm trying to tell you, Sid is that you kissed your best friend who also happens to be attractive and was your first moment of intimacy in how long?" Zig asked again with an amused grin. Sid rolled his eyes and shook his head. He paused though and turned back to his friend.

"Wait...you're saying that this is all just hormone related because I haven't seen any action for a while?"

"If you want to put it that way, sure."

Sid turned back and stared at the blank TV screen, the gears in his mind visibly turning. He hadn't considered his lack of a dating life to be an equation in this. Maybe Zig was on to something.

"Hmm...I suppose that makes sense." He said, more to himself than Zig. "There you go." The tattooed reptile remarked with a smile. Sid clicked his tongue and peered back at him questionably.

"What about the dream? And Max canceling on me?" He asked, his mind still not fully satisfied.

"I'm no psychic, Sid but I highly doubt it had to do with what happened last night. For as long as I've known her, Max has always been a pretty up front person. She doesn't pull many punches either so I think if she was having issues with it, she would have said so. I can't see her making up some excuse to avoid you."

Sid didn't respond to him for a second time, letting Zig's words sink into his brain. Maxine had never lied to him before even if there was any tension between them which was rare in itself. She had always been honest even if meant getting a stern lecture from him in return. It was hard to believe all that would change because of what happened last night. Was this really all in his head? It was starting to look that way and in all honesty, there was a sense of relief that came with it much like before he went to bed last night.

"Fair enough." Sid said, nodding his head. "But-"

"The dream? That's an easy one." Zig interrupted. Sid snorted in amusement and leaned back further into the sofa. "We're a dream interpreter now are we? Been hanging out with Inix?" He asked with a laugh.

"Only in my spare time." Zig joked. "I don't think your dream was an interpretation of anything last night. I think it was merely your subconscious reacting to the event itself and Sylver's story."

"Wha?"

Zig sighed and said, "What I'm saying is that because you were thinking about it so much, it was only natural for your brain to replay the whole event in your head while you slept."

"Ah." Sid replied. He couldn't deny that sounded logical. He also couldn't deny that he was starting to feel better about the whole thing though there was a small bit of hesitation at letting go of this. There was relief last night before he went to bed and that ended up just as messed up this morning. Sid wanted to make sure he had everything covered. Zig could see him thinking again and he put a hand on the big cat's shoulder.

"Sid." He said firmly causing Sid to face him. "You are thinking about this WAY too much. It's not good for you."

"Thanks, Mom." Sid chided with a grin.

"The bottom line is that nothing is screwed up with you and Max. Everything is fine. You just need to stop over analyzing every little detail and tricking yourself into thinking something is wrong."

Sid couldn't argue with that. The weight he felt from awakening this morning and seeing Maxine's text was suddenly gone. He _was_ thinking too much about this. Sid let out a tired laugh and shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't know what's sadder," He began, "That I turned into a teenage girl there for a while or that I actually let Sylver get under my skin. Twice."

"He certainly has that effect on people. Now, the question is; do you feel better?" Zig asked, hoping that the lion would. Sid smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

"I do. Thanks, dude. When did you get so good at this stuff?" He questioned as he gave the lizard a friendly shot in the arm in thanks.

"Growing up as a fat kid getting teased every day often makes you seek out the listening ear of another. My sister was always around to hear my problems. I guess I picked up some of her good habits." Zig explained, rubbing the arm that Sid punched.

"Well you'll have to thank her for me too." Sid chuckled and picked up the next DVD that was in line.

"I'll be sure to do that but, Sid?"

"Yeah?"

"Do me a favor and never listen to relationship advice from Sylver. Okay?" Zig asked, relaxing his body back into the sofa. Sid laughed and nodded his head.

"I'm way ahead of you, believe me. I'm just glad he never said anything to Max otherwise I'd be bailing her out of jail for manslaughter."

Zig laughed as Sid sat back down and hit play on the remote. He clapped his hands together as the film began.

"Okay, so the problem with zombies on a plane is…"

* * *

><p>"I found it!"<p>

Liz exclaimed excitedly as she came bounding back into her living room, a shaker of cinnamon in her hands. She flopped down onto her sofa and poured a vast amount into her latte that already had enough sweets and toppings added in. Liz squealed in glee as the sweet scent hit her nostrils and she lifted the cup to ever so anticipating lips to take that first sip. Only she stopped, the rim just an inch away from her awaiting taste buds.

Something wasn't right.

Liz blinked and looked over to the cougar who was on the other side of the couch, a book in her hands. The iguana peered at her suspiciously and frowned. Maxine always, _always_ criticized her for her so called coffee addiction. But she hadn't said a word. In fact, she hadn't said much today. Her entire focus has been on her book.

Liz put down her latte and leaned back so she could get a look at what she was reading. Her eyebrows rose up in surprise when she saw that Maxine was still on the first page. Liz's frown widened. She had been on the same page for over two hours.

"_Huh."_ Liz thought. How did she not notice that? Maybe she should start taking breaks from Skyrim more often.

"Max?" She called out, pushing her controller to the side and facing the feline. Maxine still did not look up, half lidded eyes staring blankly into a story that had yet to even begin. Liz clapped her hands loudly in front of her face which caused Maxine to let out a startled cry and the book to be flung from her hands. She whipped her head around and sneered at the snickering iguana next to her.

"Sorry." Liz chuckled with a shrug of her shoulders. "But you've been on the same page since I finished the Ice Wraith Quest. Are you alright?"

"Yeah...yeah I'm fine." Maxine muttered and picked up her book from the ground. Liz wasn't all too convinced though. No one stares at the same paragraph for over two hours and is 'fine'.

"Are you sure? You look like you have something on your mind."

"Yeah, it's an annoying web comic artist who won't mind her own business and leave me the hell alone!" Maxine snapped at her unexpectedly.

Liz physically recoiled at her response and adverted her eyes away from the cat's green ones, biting her bottom lip. Maxine suddenly realized what she did and instantly felt a wave of regret wash over her.

"Aw shit, I'm sorry, Liz. I didn't mean to yell at you like that." She apologized. Liz met her gaze again and nodded with a smile. "S'okay. But...what's going on, Max?"

Liz was completely baffled by this. Maxine had a temper. Everyone knew that but she wasn't the type to bite someone's head off for no reason. She also never invited herself over just to sit around and take up space. They always talked, even if Liz was gaming and she was reading like now. Something was definitely wrong.

Maxine sighed and ran a hand through her hair, careful not to mess up the spiked look in the back she always wore.

"I had a long night last night I guess." She said. "What do you mean? Didn't you and Sid go to his work's Christmas party? Did something happen there?" Liz queried, crossing a leg over the other to get more comfortable.

"No, nothing happened at the party. We left early actually."

"So something happened after then?"

Maxine didn't say anything, her eyes cast forward at the coffee table in front of her which gave Liz her answer.

"I see...was it something with Sylver? He's been a little extra pervy lately."

"No." Is all she replied. Liz frowned and played with the strings on her much adored nuclear powered hoodie.

"Was it Sid then?" She asked, her face wearing a mask of uncertainty. The times that she and Sid were mad at each other were very few and far between. She couldn't believe it would have something to do with him. But then she noticed the way Maxine's upper lip twitched at the sound of his name.

"Really? Sid? What did he do?" Liz wondered out loud to her, leaning a bit forward to receive the cougar's answer. Maxine remained silent, her body shifting in a way that physically screamed discomfort.

"Did he upset you? He didn't make another argument about why farts are funny did he?"

"God, I wish..." Maxine groaned, covering her face with an open palm. "Well then what happened?" Liz asked anxiously. This was starting to drive her crazy with curiosity.

"I..." Maxine began but paused which only furthered Liz's compulsion to know.

"OUT WITH IT WOMAN! I'M DYING HERE!" Liz screamed, waving her arms up and down in the air like some flightless bird.

"I kissed him, alright!?" Maxine fired back at the iguana. Liz's arms stopped in mid flap and her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Slowly, she sunk back into the couch, arms falling by her side. Her large eyes were still glued to her friend who sighed in annoyance and looked away.

"You...you kissed Sid?" Liz managed to blurt out finally. "Yeah...yeah I did." Maxine responded, her voice low and almost silent.

"But...but why?"

"Do you remember Cam?"

"Your last ex? Ugh, do I ever. That guy gave me the creeps just looking at him." Liz replied with a shudder. "Yeah, well he decided to show up to my place just as me and Sid were getting back. He had done it before so I told him Sid was my new boyfriend just to get him off my back. I wasn't expecting him to actually come back again." Maxine explained.

"Alright. So, then what happened?" Liz asked, pulling her knees up to her chest looking like a child ready to hear their favorite story.

"I panicked." Maxine stated, crossing her arms and falling against the back rest. "I grabbed Sid and pretty much forced him to kiss me. If that weirdo saw us together...in that way then I figured he would get the message. I didn't want it to come to that but I didn't know what else to do."

"Oh." Is all Liz said, a slight frown on her lips. Maxine caught the tone of her voice and raised a brow, saying, "You sound disappointed."

"No, no! It's just...I mean, is that it?" Liz asked.

"What do you mean, 'is that it'?"

"Well from the way you were acting I thought maybe something major happened. So you kissed Sid to get out of some creeper's stalking routine. What's wrong with that?"

Maxine stared at her for a moment then shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing. Nothing at all." She muttered and went back to her book as if she had lost interest in the entire conversation.

Liz watched her brush off everything and she frowned. She reached over and pulled Maxine's book away from her grasp. The red haired feline growled but made no attempts to take it back. Liz put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at her.

"What!?" Maxine snapped irritably.

"You don't fool me, Max. There's more to this than you obviously want to let on. So out with it."

"What? Are you a psychologist now? I'm pretty sure you're the one who needs therapy, Java Jane."

"MY COFFEE NEEDS ARE NOT A PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTURBANCE!" Liz roared. Realizing she had lost her temper momentarily, she cleared her throat and sat up straight.

"I mean…I'm not the one with the problem here. You are. So come on, tell me."

"Go back to your game, Liz." Maxine told her. "Don't try and brush me off. Honestly, Max, you just told me you kissed Sid and it was clearly bothering you and now you try and play if off as nothing? What are you, ten?" Liz asked.

"Like you should talk." Maxine retorted, crossing her arms.

"I just don't get why it's bothering you. It was all pretend wasn't it? I can't see it being any other reason unless-"

Liz felt the words dry up in her mouth as the answer hit her like a ton of bricks. Maxine looked away again, an embarrassed flush on her face which made things all the more humiliating and she wasn't one to get embarrassed easily. Her pointy ears twitched as Liz quietly finished her sentence.

"Unless you liked it."

Another awkward silence filled the lizard's apartment, the background noise from the pause menu on the TV being the only sound. Maxine shifted a glance towards Liz who was still staring at her. She growled low in her throat.

"You want to stop staring at me like I got two heads or something?" She hissed. Liz broke free from her stupor and gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry. It's just...a bit of a shock."

"God, this is so messed up." She moaned, her head falling back. Liz gave the feline a sympathetic look and crossed her legs underneath her.

"Is it?" She asked. Maxine turned her head and frowned at her. "Are you kidding? I kissed Sid and enjoyed it. That's like swapping spit with your brother and enjoying it."

"Ew." Liz replied, making a face.

"Exactly."

"But do you really have to put it in that perspective?" Liz questioned. Maxine frowned and straightened herself upright. "What do you mean? How else could I see it?"

"Well, Sid's a good looking guy. What's wrong with enjoying a kiss with someone who's attractive, even if he is your best friend?"

Maxine didn't respond to that. She hadn't really thought about it in that way to be honest. She never thought she would have to. It still felt weird all the same. Liz watched her friend process the notion in her head and shyly raised her voice.

"Can I ask you something, Max?" Maxine brought her attention back to her and answered, "Yeah?"

"Well, I never asked this before 'cause I wasn't any of my business and I didn't want to offend you and-"

"Out with it already."

"Have you ever thought of Sid…in that way before? I mean, you guys have known each other for so long…" Liz trailed off as Maxine stared at her with a blank expression. "Sorry, I just…thought I'd ask…" She muttered quietly, looking away. Maxine fell back into the couch again and picked at a loose piece of denim on her plaid colored jeans. She instantly remembered the conversation she had with Sunny on the way to the supermarket that one time.

"Once." She said quietly, her eyes on her lap. Liz watched Maxine go back in time in her own head and she patiently awaited her to continue. Maxine saw her waiting and scoffed at the memory.

"That was a long time ago and it wasn't even serious." She told her with a wave of her hand. "What happened?" Liz asked.

"Nothing even happened. It was just…" She paused with a sigh then continued. "Sid had just scored me the apartment here after a break up I had. I had been through so much shit and like always, he comes in a saves the day. Just like last night. I guess…I guess I just had a moment of weakness."

Liz only nodded and waited again for her to continue.

"And I guess…after all the crap and all the crappier boyfriends, the one guy I've always been able to trust…started looking good. I mean, I'm not blind. I know Sid's good looking and fun and trustworthy and-"

"And cut like a brick house?" Liz interrupted with a mischievous smile. Maxine frowned at her but it disappeared and she brushed some more hair out of her eye.

"That too." She admitted quietly.

"So...did you ever say anything to him?" Liz asked, her head cocking to one side. Maxine snorted and leaned the side of her head into her hand on the arm rest.

"God no. Like I said, it was a brief moment of weakness. I thought about it for maybe a day then realized just how weird and creepy the whole thing was. I've never thought about it since then."

"I see." Liz mused to herself, finger tapping at her chin. Maxine noticed her odd physical display and arched a brow at her. "Something tickle that caffeine soaked brain of yours?"

"Well...maybe that's it." Liz responded with a shrug.

"What's it?"

"Maybe that's why you liked it."

Maxine stared at her as if she was crazy, which wasn't anything new. Liz sat up straight and took a sip of her latte before saying,

"Think about it. Sid has always come to your rescue on these things, right? Only last night he went a little further for you. He pulled you out of the fire just like he did back then."

"What are you getting at, Liz?"

"I think for that moment, the Sid you thought about that one time, reappeared and that's why you enjoyed it." She finished with a confident smile.

The chain smoking feline beside her didn't respond but merely sat where she was and processed what she had just been told. Liz was never one to possess such helpful insight before, often getting herself into more trouble than not. But even Maxine had a hard time arguing with her rational. The idea of it _seemed_ to make sense. After all, it would be a little odd for her to just suddenly relish a lip lock with Sid for no reason. Maxine raised her eyebrows in admiration and nodded her head.

"That's actually not too crazy of a theory, even for you." She said. Liz flashed a triumphant grin and raised her arms up in victory. "Aw yeah! Who's bad! Me baby!"

Maxine rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. Liz took another sip of her drink, wiping away some of the whip cream from her snout. "So how do you feel now? Still weird'd out?" She asked.

Maxine thought about it for a moment then shook her head.

"No. I guess not. Relieved actually." She replied honestly. Liz held out her hand as if she was expecting something. "That'll be fifty dollars for the session."

The cougar failed in holding back a laugh and playfully slapped away her hand. "Yeah, yeah, it's in the mail. Go back to your game."

Liz chuckled and picked up her controller, her game coming to life once more. Just as she was about to head back into to town and grab some more potions and equipment, she heard Maxine speak up from beside her.

"Hey, Liz?"

"Yeah?" She answered, focus still on her game.

"Thanks."

Liz paused for a brief moment, casting a glance at Maxine. She had gone back to her book, her thumb brushing over the paper to continue onto the next page. Liz smiled again and continued on her quest.

Maxine silently chuckled to herself over the whole thing. How the hell did she let something as stupid as last night get to her like that? It was then she looked up from her book and let out an inaudible sigh.

"_Shit."_ She thought as her memory caught up with her brain. Another flash of embarrassment and this time, a small sense of guilt gripped at her conscious. She had canceled on Sid today and for what? Because she had to resort to acting like a dumbass over nothing? Maxine looked at her watch and saw that it was almost eight. Too late to start a marathon and she had to work tomorrow. She fixed the hair clip in her left bang and sighed again. She supposed she couldn't be too hard on herself. The whole thing was sill weird regardless of the innocence behind it and she feared there would be that awkward silence between them the whole day.

But maybe she was just jumping to conclusions like she did with the kiss.

Sid wasn't the type of guy to dwell on that kind of stuff. It took a lot to faze someone like him and she wouldn't be surprised if he had forgotten about the whole thing. Maxine tapped her finger on the cover of the novel before closing it and standing up.

"I gotta go take care of something, Liz. I'll see you later." She told the iguana. Liz's response was that of an onslaught of curses and swears to the TV screen as her character was killed by a mudcrab. Maxine shook her head and exited Liz's apartment and headed down to the third floor.

* * *

><p>Sid rubbed his tongue across his teeth in concentration as he applied the last bit of paint on the helmet of his centaur.<p>

He put down his brush and put a magnifying glass over the figurine to make sure he didn't miss anything or smear the paint. Satisfied with his efforts, he stretched his arms with a satisfying pop and stood up from his desk, switching off the lamp as he did so. Sid leisurely made his way to his living room to turn on the TV when he heard a knock at his door.

"Coming!" He called out as he walked over to the door. He opened it and was surprised to find Maxine standing in his doorway.

"Hey." She said with a smile. "Hey, Max. What's up?" Sid asked.

"I just wanted to stop by and say sorry for canceling on our marathon today. I…" She began but paused. She hadn't considered what she was going to tell him. The truth was far too humiliating. Luckily Maxine always had a backup for situations like this.

"I…was having that monthly visitor."

"Yeah, okay, stop there." Sid interrupted with a grimace. "That's more information than I wanted."

"Oh? Like I appreciate your random expulsions of bodily gas?" Maxine teased back with a grin, crossing her arms. Sid grinned back and gave a wave of his hand.

"Don't worry about it. You could have just included that in your text you know. You didn't have to come here."

"Meh. It's no biggie. I just didn't want you to think that I was avoiding you." Maxine replied but soon cursed herself for letting that slip. Sid's brow furrowed and he rested one arm against the door frame.

"Why would I think that? Because of last night?" He asked. Maxine bit her bottom lip in self anger. It dissipated though when Sid let out a hearty chuckle and shook his head.

"Please, like I would ever think that." He lied. "You've seen worse with far better reasons to avoid me."

"Like when you streaked through the gymnasium at the Halloween dance in twelfth grade?" Maxine laughed and punched the lion in the shoulder. Sid could only laugh and shrug his large shoulders.

"A show's a show."

"Wasn't much of a show from where I was standing."

"Hey, it was cold alright?"

"Uh huh. Whatever you say, Sid." Maxine joshed as she turned to leave.

"C'mon! You were impressed!" Sid shouted after her down the hallway. He heard her laugh and the sound of the staircase doors opening and closing. He laughed to himself and went back inside. Things were back to the way they were. The way that they should be.

If only life could be that simple.

* * *

><p><em>AN: There she is. I might post another few chapters in the week so keep your eyes peeled._


	3. Snowball Armageddon Pt 2

_A/N: Chapter three for ya!_

* * *

><p>"Okay, here are the rules…"<p>

Liz began to go into a detailed explanation of the rules of Snowball Armageddon Part Two as everyone around her shuffled their feet in the snow.

"No intentional head shots. That means you, Max."

"You guys are such wimps."

"Secondly; we're going to split the guys up against the girls. Its three now so whichever team has the most hits by five wins." She finished explaining, packing up a snowball in her gloved hands.

"How do we know who has the most hits, Liz? This isn't like paintball." Zig pointed out, his scarf fluttering in a winter breeze.

"Rex will keep score for us. Right, Rex?" Liz remarked, referring to the little robot sitting in the snow with his tail wagging.

"You bet! I'm really good at counting! Like how many abs Sid has! Six pack, rowar!"

"Can we get someone else?" Sid asked, raising his hand. "WHY MUST YOU DENY OUR LOVE!?" Rex shouted out at the top of his speakers. Sid slapped a hand over his face causing a chorus of snickers from all around him.

"Er, okay then. So Sid, Zig, Sylver, you guys take the south side of the apartments and Sunny, Max, Inix and I will take the north." Liz instructed.

"Wait a second," Sylver interjected. "There are four of you. That's totally unfair!"

"Really, dude?" Sid sighed in disbelief. "What!? It is!"

Maxine and Liz rolled their eyes but Sunny patted her boyfriend on the hand. "Don't worry, sweetie. I'll use my left hand for throwing, how's that?" She asked sweetly. Sylver growled when he heard the muffled snorts of laughter from Sid and Zig behind him.

"Whatever. Let's just get this going." He muttered, wrenching his hand free from her grasp and pushing past his teammates.

"Maybe he's right." Sid said to Zig as they followed him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's five girls and you and me now."

Zig had to cover his mouth again so that Sylver wouldn't hear his laughter.

The girls waited until they were out of sight before they knelt down and began to pack snow into tight balls.

"I'll never understand your childish mortal games." Inix remarked as she watched Sunny, Max and Liz make a small pile of snowballs.

"You've never been in a snowball fight?" Sunny asked, tossing another baseball sized portion of snow into the pile. "They hadn't invented it yet when she was around." Maxine added in with a smirk. Inix narrowed her two different colored eyes at her and crossed her arms.

"Amusing as always, Maxine." She remarked coldly.

"It's a lot of fun, Inix, you'll really like it!" Liz told her. Inix sighed and looked to snow covered distance of the apartment complex.

"Why are we not yet attacking them? Is that not the point of this? To do battle?"

"Well, sure but we need to make some ammunition first." Liz answered, packing more snow into a tight ball.

Inix once again observed they're construction of snowballs and she shook her head. The dragon's eyes suddenly became bright and pupil less. She raised her hand and uttered a few phrases in a language that very few could understand. A mound of snow rose from the ground and hovered in the air. All three girls stopped what they were doing and watched wide eyed as the snow above their heads started to mold and shape together. Inix whispered one more phrase and clenched her raised hand into a fist. The transformation above them suddenly exploded and a hail of snowballs fell from the sky, a small mountain of them forming in front of the group. Inix dusted her hands and withdrew them underneath her winter cape.

"You mortals do everything the hard way." She stated.

"Thanks for taking all the fun out of it." Maxine huffed, her breath clouding the air in front of her. "You're just mad she used _magic_." Liz defended.

"Whatever. You and the Lady in the Lake over there head over to the old willow tree with some of these and build a blockade. Sunny and I will flank towards you guys and we'll tag 'em that way." Maxine said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Liz stuck her tongue out at her as she and Inix trudged through the snow towards where Maxine had told them, snowballs in hand. Sunny scooped up a number of snowballs in her large claws and turned to her.

"How do you know this will work?" She asked.

"I've had my share of snowball fights with Sid over the years. He's not known for his wide assortment of strategies. He'll unleash all his ammo at once hoping to hit you then realize he's got nothing left. We'll spend most of our time chasing him down and pegging him like a piñata." Maxine explained with a smirk, juggling a snowball in her hand.

"I love piñatas!" Sunny exclaimed excitedly.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure that's the best plan, Sid?"<p>

"Of course I'm sure! We bombard them with everything we got then they fall back, rinse and repeat. It's bulletproof!"

"What if we miss most of our shots and they retaliate?"

"…Huh. Maybe that's why Max won all those other snowball fights."

Zig laughed as he threw another snowball into the pile he and Sid had made. It was a rather small pile due to the fact that their other team member was busy on his cell phone. Sylver leaned against a tree, his thumb moving over the apps and random options, his face wearing a mask of sheer boredom. Sid stood up, dusting some snow off his jacket and shook his head.

"You know you could help us, Sylver." He pointed out. "Meh. You guys look like you got it." The wolf mumbled. Sid growled under his breath and crossed his arms.

"Why do you even bother coming out here if you're not going to play?"

"Because I'm not five years old." Sylver responded with a roll of his eyes. "And I only came out here because Sunny wouldn't shut up about it. I'm here but that doesn't mean I have to do shit."

"What? You were just complaining about unfair teams. Are you afraid a bunch of girls are going to beat you? Too much of a blow to your 'bro-ego'?" Sid shot back.

"Nice try, Tarzan." Sylver sneered. "That psychology crap isn't going to work on me. Besides, no chick can out score me in anything. And to prove it, I'm going to build the most bad ass snow fort that can withstand anything!"

Sylver practically dove into the snow after his proclamation and started to roll the white substance into mounds. Sid smirked and turned back to Zig.

"Oh yeah. That crap definitely isn't going to work." He chuckled. Zig smiled and packed another ball when he suddenly heard something. He raised his head and his eyes scanned the apartment grounds. Sid noticed his friend searching the area and found himself doing the same.

"What is it?" Sid asked the iguana.

"I heard something. I think it was a stick breaking." Zig answered. Sid picked up a few snowballs and nodded to Zig. He returned it and the two slowly made their way across the grounds, Sylver still constructing in the background.

Sid and Zig searched around the area, keeping their eye open and alert. There were coming into a more tree heavy based area of the grounds and there were lots of places to hide for an ambush. Sid crept along the snow, trying to avoid making any obvious crunching noises.

"Hey, Sid!"

The lion nearly jumped out of his fur and turned around, whipping a snowball as he did. It made a loud smack as it hit something solid. Zig turned around as well to find Rex shaking some snow of his head.

"Rex! What are you doing?" Zig asked.

"I was just following you guys for scoring! That's what I'm in charge of right?" Rex questioned, cocking his head to one side.

"Yes but you can't sneak up on us and shout like that. It could give away our position." Zig explained. As if on cue, a snowball smacked the reptile in the shoulder.

"That's one!" Rex shouted.

Sid and Zig dove for cover as more balls came flying through the air. Sid hid behind a bush while Zig took cover from a snow blanketed car. Zig took a glance from behind the trunk and saw Sunny and Maxine behind some trees, casting a few snowballs. He looked to Sid to see him scoop up a pile of snow and make some hastily made snowballs. A few more balls hit their cover and suddenly there was nothing. Sid stood up with an armful of ammunition and shouted,

"They're out, Zig! Let's take 'em!"

"Wait, Sid!"

Zig shouted to his companion but it was too late. Sid rushed the tree line, whipping snowballs like a mad man. They hit trees and branches but came nowhere near hitting Sunny or Maxine. Zig shook his head as he watched Sid unleash the last of his snowballs. He was a dead man.

Sid bent down to scoop up more snow but found that the snow in this area was too slushy and simply made his gloves wet. The icy cold sensation of a snowball hit his neck and he fell back on his tail. He shook it off and saw Maxine and Sunny step out with armfuls of snowballs.

"You're so predictable, Sid." Maxine said with grin.

"Crap." Sid mumbled as he watched the two women wind up. Scrambling to his feet, Sid ran back the way he came, snowballs pelting him in the back.

"Fall back, Zig!" He shouted as he ran past the lizard. Zig followed him, tossing a few spare snowballs behind them. Rex also was running alongside them, shouting at Sid.

"Come on, Sid! Show 'em what those sexy muscles can do!"

"Not helping!" Sid shouted back, catching a snowball in the back of the knee. They retreated back to where Sylver was to find him still working on his fort. He had just finished a decent sized wall and stood back to admire his efforts when Sid, Zig and Rex came crashing through it.

"Hey!" Sylver screamed at them.

He was about to cuss them out when he felt the impact of packed snow explode into the back of his head. Sylver cursed and spun around, sneering at Maxine. Sunny gave the cougar an irritated look herself.

"What?" Maxine asked, innocently shrugging her shoulders. "It was an accident."

"Bullshit it was!" Sylver cried, rubbing the back of his head. He was answered with another snowball whizzing dangerously close to his face. Forgetting his anger, Sylver shot to his feet and trailed after Sid and Zig. He found them heading to the old willow tree and picked up his pace to catch up. The lupine suddenly collided into Zig's back however as the group had made an abrupt halt.

Just a few feet in front of them, from behind a makeshift wall of snow, Liz and Inix rose up with arms ready to let loose a barrage of snowball fire.

"Back! Back!" Sid yelled. They fumbled over each other trying to turn around and when they did, Maxine and Sunny were there to greet them. Neither man could cry out in dismay as they were repeatedly pelted with ball after ball from both sides.

"Twenty eight! Twenty nine! Thirty!" Rex counted out loud as the slaughter continued.

"Spilt up!" Sid yelled over the carnage as each team member bolted in opposite directions. Sylver headed south around the other side of the complex while Zig made a break for the playground. Sid retreated back towards the tree area, taking more than a few snowballs from Maxine and Sunny as he did.

"Liz! Take Sylver! Sunny and Inix can take Zig and I'll rundown Sid!" Maxine called out, each woman heading towards their targets.

Maxine followed after Sid, seeing him disappear into the trees. She jogged up to the tree line but stopped before going in. She was going to have to be careful. Sid wasn't the best strategist, sure but he could be just as sneaky as her when he wanted to be. All those nights from being El Rey was good practice.

Maxine darted from tree to tree, peeking out to make sure she wasn't being spotted. The cougar wished that they had started this game later when it was dark. Her all black ensemble of a hoodie, jeans and gloves would have been perfect camouflage, especially in this area. Figuring there was no use complaining about something she couldn't change, she crept along the brush and snow, ears perked up for anything suspicious. Maxine kept low to the ground and took cover behind a snow covered fir tree. She glanced around the trunk and saw Sid doing the same only facing the opposite direction.

Maxine smiled to herself and reached down to make a snowball only to discover what Sid had before. Shrugging to herself, she packed together as much slush into a ball as she could and stood up. Stepping out from cover, she whipped the slush ball hard at the unsuspecting lion. Fortunately for Sid, her aim was a little off as it splattered against the tree inched from his head.

He recoiled in surprise then whipped around to see her. He glared at her and smiled an evil smile.

"Oh, you are so dead."

Maxine turned around and bolted from him as he made an attempt to snatch her. She bobbed and weaved through trees, trying not to laugh as Sid chased her down.

"I'm going to make you eat snow 'till you puke!" He shouted after her.

She twisted through a few tight spaces between trees, causing Sid to have to go around but he was not letting up. Maxine could hear his footsteps in the snow getting closer and closer. She saw a low hanging branch in front of her a few feet away and headed towards it. Ducking underneath as she ran, her hand reached out and grabbed the base. She pulled it along for a few seconds then let go.

_THWAP!_

"Goddamnit, Max! You're going to want your two front teeth for Christmas this year!"

"Real original, Sid!"

Maxine burst from the tree line and back into open air, the snow crunching under her feet as she ran. She could see the recently destroyed wall of Sylver's snow fort when she was suddenly seized around the waist by two strong arms.

"Gotcha!"

She let out what sounded like something between a scream and a laugh as Sid hoisted her up in the air from behind.

"Sid! Don't!" She huffed through her laughter. But Sid was deaf to her pleas and they both fell back into the snow. Maxine tried to get back to her feet but Sid caught her sleeve from behind and began to dump handfuls of snow down the back of her hoodie and shirt.

"_Jesus_!" She cried as the cold wet powder roll down her bare back, sending chills throughout her nerves.

Sid laughed heartily to himself as she tried to scramble away and he pulled her back, shoving more snow down her back. Maxine retaliated by shoving a handful into his face. Sid wiped the snow from his face and shot his hand just in time to catch her foot and prevent her from getting away. He pulled hard and she slid back towards him, still squirming and laughing. Sid pinned her arms down and rested his weight on top of her to keep her down. They both lay there, letting out panted laughs, their bodies tired.

Maxine looked up to see Sid's chuckling face, his blonde hair messily hanging in his eyes. Her own laughter faded and she found herself staring at him. Her arms relaxed in his firm but gentle grip and she no longer struggled against his weight. Maxine's breath came out in large wisps, her chest heaving along with the drumming of her heart as she couldn't look away from his face.

He looked…good.

Sid let out a few last chuckles and met her gaze with a smile. It faded however and his visage molded into that of concern.

"Are you okay, Max?" He asked, letting go of her arms.

"SID! HOW COULD YOU!?"

The two felines looked over to see Rex staring at them hotly, his red sensors narrowed in a deathly glare. "What about us!? What about our love!?"

"Oh for God's sake…" Sid grumbled, getting to his feet. Maxine stayed where she was, her face burning under her fur.

"Why, Sid!? WHY!?"

"Rex! We were just goofing around."

"That's the oldest story in the book!"

"Max, will you tell him nothing-, wait, why I am defending myself to you and your delusions?" Sid wondered out loud. Maxine sat up, still not saying anything and fluffed her sweater to get the remaining snow out. They were joined by Inix, Liz, Zig and Sylver who was aiding a limping Sunny.

"What happened?" Sid asked in concern, ignoring the fuming robot dinosaur.

"Sunny had a little accident on the playground." Liz explained. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have run through the sand pit." Zig said, accepting blame.

"Oh, nonsense, Ziggy!" Sunny said with a wave of her large claws. "I was the one following you. I should have been paying closer attention to where the ground dipped."

"I guess we'll be heading in early then." Sid sighed.

"I'm so sorry everyone." Sunny apologized. "Nonsense, Sunny. Let's get you inside. I'm sure Liz is dying to start those _Home Alone_ movies anyway." Sid told her with a reassuring smile.

"And hot chocolate!" Liz pointed out loudly.

"Why the hell do I hang out with you guys…" Sylver mumbled under his breath as he helped Sunny towards the apartment. Sid followed along with Zig and Inix as well as trying to ignore the glare he was getting from Rex.

"You men are all the same." The robot shot at him.

"What's his problem?" Liz asked, casting a glance at Rex. "Don't ask." Sid groaned. He stopped in his tracks and looked back to see Maxine in the same spot, eyes focused on the ground.

"Max?" He called out. "You coming or what?"

She looked up and stared at him for a moment before shaking out the last bits of powder from her clothes. "Yeah…coming." She said and padded over to them. Sid watched her and looked at her worriedly.

"Everything okay?" He asked, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. Maxine looked to him again a put on a smile.

"Other than the fact I got snow in my bra because of you, just fine, Sid." She said, smacking him lightly across the cheek. Sid laughed and followed her along with the others. He was however oblivious to the side ways glance that Maxine gave him on the way back inside.

* * *

><p>"There. How's that?" Sid asked as he applied some ice to Sunny's ankle.<p>

"That's just fine. Thank you, Sid." Sunny smiled at him. Sid returned it and stood up, moving away from the couch that was occupied by the mole, Liz and Zig, their attention glued to the television and the movie that was playing. He turned around and shot a look at Sylver. He was slouched in a chair, once again enamored with his cell phone. The lion strolled by him on the way to Liz's fridge in the kitchen and muttered to him,

"Your Facebook a little more important that your girlfriend?"

Sylver growled as he watched Sid pull a water bottle out of the fridge and head back. "She's fine. She just bumped her foot. What's the big deal? Besides, maybe you should mind your own damn business." He hissed low.

Sid didn't respond but sat down in another extra chair near the couch. He looked over to see Inix making her way over to a nearby broom closet. "Hey, Inix," Sid called out, "Where you going? We're not even half way through _Lost in New York_."

"I believe I will retire for the night. I have pressing matters that must be attended to early in the morn." The dragon mage replied. Maxine, who was occupying a bean bag chair scoffed a laugh.

"She has to get in line with all the other beatniks for an Art Garfunkel concert." She teased.

Inix glared at her but said nothing. "I bid thee all a goodnight and a most merry of Christmases. And thank you for the game. It was...interesting." She finished before shutting the closet door behind her. Maxine made a smoking gesture with her hand implying that the mystical reptile was smoking something that was not tobacco. Sid laughed at her joke though the others seemed to ignore it, still transfixed on the movie.

Maxine looked away from him and focused back on the television, that heat from early creeping its way across her muzzle as her memory kicked in.

She shifted in her bean bag chair, the tiny balls inside making a slight scattering sound. The cougar tried to focus on the movie but her mind couldn't stop focusing on her wrestling match with Sid and more importantly, what happened after. Feeling warm and rather uncomfortable, she stood up from her seat.

"I'm just going to go out for a smoke." She announced, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from her jeans.

"Yeah, yeah. Smoking bad, now shh!" Liz said with a wave of her hand, her eyes never leaving the screen. Maxine ignored her and walked towards the balcony, trying to resist the urge to look at Sid.

Before she touched the glass door, she saw Rex standing in her way, red eyes staring daggers into her. He lingered there for a moment before slinking away, closer to Sid. She rolled her eyes and opened the door.

She shut the glass door behind her and took a deep breath of the chilly December air. It relieved some of the heat she was feeling but not by much. Maxine took out her lighter from her other pocket and popped a stick into her mouth. Lighting the tip and taking another deep inhale, she could feel the cool and comforting feeling that was always a welcomed presence in her body, health risks be damned. She leaned over the railing, blowing out a large puff of smoke as the lights of the city below her danced in the night.

She was better than this.

The fact that this was the second time she had caught herself enjoying a little physical contact with Sid was greatly annoying her. The rough housing and goofing off was nothing new. That was just simple fun. But the feel of his hands clenching her wrists, so strong yet so gentle as not to hurt her sent her heart into a frenzy much like herself at a metal concert.

Maxine took another long drag as she remembered the look on his face while he laughed. His mane of blonde hair, hanging loosely in his eyes like strands of gold and his handsome face alit with delight and kindness. His heavy laugh rang in her ears still and it only intensified the memory like a flame spreading into a wildfire.

Maxine coughed and tapped her cigarette, the ashes falling into the darkness below. "This is so damn stupid." She said out loud to herself.

How could she let herself get lost in the past with him again? She was above that kind of stuff. But she supposed she herself was just like anyone else and brief moments of weakness, much like a few years ago, were bound to happen.

Maxine finished her cigarette and tossed the butt out into the night. She shook her head and let out a yawn. She probably wasn't giving this enough time. After all, it was only last week that incident had occurred. She nodded to herself in self agreement. Perhaps this was something that couldn't be rushed much like her ongoing project with Liz in trying to get her to grow up.

Maxine rubbed her eyes in amusement as she opened the sliding door. She really needed to stop letting this get to her. It was like being stuck in some bad romance novel. She stepped inside, the warmth of the apartment the only heat she felt and sat back down in her seat. The individuals in the room all laughed at the scene in which Kevin losses his shorts cannon balling into the pool.

Maxine decided to take a glance at Sid who laughed along with them. She smiled and turned back to the TV, relieved that nothing came with it.

She just hoped it would be the last time that happened.

* * *

><p>"Night everyone! Merry Christmas, Max!"<p>

Liz said, pulling the cougar into a hug as everyone started to depart once the movie was over.

"That's still two days away." Maxine told her but hugged her back anyways. "I know that but I'm visiting my mom and dad in New Jersey tomorrow. You're going to your folks for the holidays too aren't you?"

"Don't remind me." Maxine grimaced. Sid laughed as he threw on his jacket. "I wish I was coming. Your mom always makes the best eats around the holidays." He said.

"That's easy for you to say. My dad isn't getting on your case about dropping out of college or my mom grinding you about your dating life."

"To be fair, your mom has a good point." Sid declared. Maxine responded with a hard fist to the lion's arm. She was suddenly pulled into a tight almost rib shattering hug by Sunny who's ankle seems to have almost recovered.

"Merry Christmas, Maxine!" She yelled in delight. "You too." She wheezed as all the air was being driven out of her lungs. Sunny let go and smiled her usual cheery smile before pulling Sid, Liz and Zig into their own hugs of death.

"We won't be seeing any of you guys until after the holiday. Sylver and I are visiting my folks in Montana."

She looked to Sylver who was still playing around on his phone and she nudged him in the ribs.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" He complained. Sunny cleared her throat and motioned over to the others with her eyes. Sylver let out an aggravated sigh and pocketed his cell.

"Yeah...Merry Christmas and stuff." He mumbled to her.

"Thanks. I'll treasure that heartfelt wish of Christmas cheer forever." Maxine replied sarcastically.

"You see!?" Sylver cried to his girlfriend, throwing his hands up in dismay. Sunny slapped her hand over her face and started to push him along.

"Thanks for the game and cocoa, Liz. Merry Christmas everyone!" The mole exclaimed and slightly limped down the hall, her boyfriend muttering things under his breath. Maxine stared at them in disbelief before asking,

"How are they still together?"

"It's the eighth wonder of the world really." Zig chuckled. He fixed his scarf and bent down to pick up Rex who had not said a word since the snowball fight.

"We'll get going too. I got to pick up my family from the airport early tomorrow. And Rex needs his power supply recharged."

"Just let my battery die. I don't want to live in this world where the ones we love rip our hearts out of chest and stamp on them with golf cleats." He sighed, tail drooping.

"What...what are you talking about?" Zig asked in pure confusion.

"Don't ask, dude." Sid told him with a hand on the shoulder. Zig shrugged and held out his hand to Sid. "Merry Christmas, Sid."

The large feline looked to his hand than back up to his face and frowned. "What's this handshake crap? C'mere!" He cried and pulled the iguana into a tight hug. Liz giggled and Maxine snorted a laugh as Zig's face turned bright red.

"Merry Christmas, dude." Sid told him pulling away. Zig cleared his throat and shyly rubbed the back of his head.

"Uh...thanks." He managed to squeak out. Sid looked down and noticed that Rex was still looking to the ground, his robotic features crestfallen. He gently took the little dino from Zig and said, "Merry Christmas to you too, Rex."

He hugged the robot who went stiff as a bored then suddenly latched on to Sid's neck.

"I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU STILL CARED! I FORGIVE YOU SID! LET US MAKE LOVE BY THE FIREPLACE!"

"Alright, get him off me." Sid sighed to Zig who was, along with Liz and Maxine, practically busting a gut. Zig reached over and pried Rex off of the self-proclaimed pirate.

"Merry Christmas, guys." He chuckled as he walked down the hall. "BE MY SANTA, SID! STUFF MY STOCKING WITH YOUR-"

"ENOUGH, REX! Where do you learn these things!?"

"Okay, what was that all about?" Liz questioned, a dying chuckle escaping her lips. "For the last time, don't ask." Sid muttered, running a hand through his hair. Liz laughed one more time and pulled him into a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Sid."

"Merry Christmas, babe."

Liz waved goodbye to he and Maxine and closed the door behind her leaving the two felines alone in the hall. Sid looked over to her and smiled, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Well, looks like it's you and me." He said. "I can hardly contain my excitement." Maxine said dryly with a smile.

They walked down the hall and down the staircase, their footsteps echoing in the air. Maxine had an odd feeling as they descended to the third floor in silence. She glanced back quickly at Sid who was checking messages on his cell phone. She shook off the feeling as they came to the third floor doors.

"Well, enjoy your Christmas with your mom and dad, Max. Hope it's a good one." Sid wished with another smile.

"You too, Sid. You visiting your folks?"

Sid stopped short in opening the door and turned back to her with a shrug of his shoulders. "I won't be seeing them this year." He told her as Maxine's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Mom is working the holiday shift at the hospital and Dad's stuck in Boston. There's a snow storm that's shut down the airports and it doesn't look like it's gonna let up for a couple of days."

"Shit, Sid, I'm sorry to hear that." Maxine said with all sincerity, sticking her hands in her hoodie front pocket. Sid waved it off with a small smile.

"It's no biggie. They feel bad enough about it but it's not like it can be helped. I'll try and visit them afterwards. We'll just have a late Christmas, that's all." He explained, the disappointment evident in his voice.

"Have a good Christmas, Max. Give your mom a hug for me." Sid said softly, reaching out and gently squeezing her arm. That warmth from before ran up her entire arm at his gesture but she ignored it and it soon dissipated when he left, the door closing behind him. Without even thinking, Maxine pushed the door open and called out his name.

"Sid."

The lion stopped and turned back to her. "What?" He asked. She walked up to him and rested her weight on one leg and her hands on her hips with an amused grin.

"You think I'm going to leave my best friend alone on Christmas?" She asked. Sid stared at her with a confused look. She laughed and pointed to his apartment.

"Go get packed. You're coming with me."

"Max, it's your family. I can't-"

"Shut up, Sid." Maxine interrupted. "I'm not taking no for an answer. Besides, Mom would kill me if she found out you were alone on Christmas and I didn't bring you along."

"I can't impose on you guys like that." Sid said sternly. Maxine let her head fall back and a disgusted groan left her throat. "Oh Jesus Christ, Sid, stop being so damn stubborn. You're coming with me so quit your bitching, you little girl."

Sid frowned at her but it quickly transformed into a smile and a laugh. "I guess there's no convincing you otherwise?"

"Damn right. You're coming even if I have to bust your head open and drag you there." Maxine threatened, her tail flickering a few times behind her. Sid threw his hands up in defeat and chuckled.

"Well I guess I'll go get packed then." He told her. As he turned to leave, he paused then turned back to her. "Thanks, Max." Sid said, the sincerity and genuine appreciation in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get all mushy on me you big wuss. Just come by the next morning and we'll take the train." Maxine yawned. She gave him a wave and walked back to the staircase, the door shutting loudly behind her. Maxine stood where she was, silence being her only companion in the darkened staircase. She brushed some hair out her eye and cleared her throat as she descended down to her floor. There was an odd feeling in her gut that was softly protesting her recent decision. She shook her head slowly in an act to throw off the feeling.

Maybe the insanity of home will cancel out the insanity she was dealing with now. She just hoped her head wouldn't explode.


	4. Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal

_A/N: Here's the next chapter for ya. This will probably be the last one for a while. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>"The place looks good."<p>

Sid mused as he looked upon Maxine's childhood household. Maxine herself paid the taxi driver and snorted in response as she joined him.

"It hasn't changed since last you saw it, Sid. Unless you count the Christmas lights and a lame plastic Santa on the roof."

The house in question was a small two level structure; a snow covered front lawn with the remnants of snowmen and forts left in the early afternoon sun. A few cars sat idle in the driveway and an old toboggan lay upright against the front porch stairs. Frost tipped windows donned the upper section of the house, some alit with lights and a few decorations.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Maxine grumbled, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and traversed through the snow to the front steps. Sid followed her, stepping over a fallen snowman's head before asking,

"Why are you so negative about this? Your family has always been pretty cool."

"That's because you're not their kid, Sid. My mom and dad just won't let me live my own life. They always have to be involved in everything. That's why I can't stand these get togethers. I have to take an earful from them every goddamn time." She replied, climbing the steps.

"Aw, come on, Max." Sid said with a smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "They're just worried about you. That's what parents do. My mom and dad still check up on me and give me the occasional flak."

"Whatever. Hopefully they'll be too busy mushing over you to notice me." Maxine said, pushing his arm off her shoulder. She rang the doorbell, the sounds of conversation humming from behind the door. Heavy footsteps thumped closer and closer until the door was open.

"Oh, my baby!"

Maxine grimaced as she was pulled into a tight hug by her mother. She was a heavier woman but hid it well under her thick sweater and dark navy jeans. Her long red hair was tied into a bun, a few strands hanging loosely to the side, a few streaks of grey showing her age. She pulled away and smiled warmly at her daughter.

"Hi, Mom." Maxine finally said, forcing a smile.

"My little girl! I'm so glad you're here! You aunt and uncle are here with the kids and they-"

"Mom." Maxine interrupted, her head tilting to beside her. Maxine's mother looked over to see Sid with a big smile on his face and a friendly wave. Her hands grabbed the sides of her plump face in shock.

"Sidney! Oh my God, look at you! You get bigger and more handsome every time I see you!" She cried, pulling the lion into a hug.

"Hey there, Diana. Merry Christmas." Sid laughed, hugging her back. "Well come in you two! It's freezing out there!" Maxine's mother ordered, shooing them into the house.

They stepped into the house, warmth and a delicious aroma wafting through the air being their greeting. Diana took their coats and hung them in the closest while ushering them towards the living room.

"Brace yourself, Sid." Maxine said softly.

"Huh? Why?"

"SID!"

"Oof!"

Sid fell to the carpet hard as two small furry bodies tackled him. He raised his head to see two young cougar males, ages eight and nine, sitting on his chest with big smiles on their faces.

"Sid! Sid! You're here!" The one on the left shouted in glee. "Yeah! Now we can wrestle just like before!" The other exclaimed in excitement.

"Boys! Off of him right now!" Came a stern and authoritative voice. The two lads groaned disappointingly in unison as they reluctantly slid off his chest. Sid shook his head and sat up straight as a well-dressed middle aged cougar helped him to his feet.

"Sorry about that, Sidney." Maxine's uncle apologized. "Hunter and Nathan have become quite fond of you over the years." He chuckled.

"So I see." Sid laughed back. He ruffled the head fur of the two boys before saying, "Don't worry guys. I got some new moves I'll teach you later."

Sid shook hands again with Maxine's uncle and hugged her aunt who then displayed their affection for Maxine herself, hugging her and telling her how grown up she looked.

"What is with this hair, Maxine?" Her aunt questioned, another cougar with a black evening dress and heavy make up on her face. Maxine held back a groan and simply shrugged her shoulders.

"It's just how I wear it, Auntie." She told her. Her aunt made a face and brushed some it away from her right eye. "But you're so beautiful. It's such a shame you hide it."

Maxine had to bite her tongue from saying something she knew she would regret but thankfully her uncle interjected.

"Come on now, Carolyn. I remember a certain type of hairstyle you were sporting back in the eighties that you thought was hip."

"What? Flock of Seagulls was all the rage back then." Her aunt responded. Sid had to cover his mouth to prevent a laugh from bursting out which in turn caused Maxine to do the same.

"I'm just trying to help." Her aunt mumbled as she went to join Maxine's mother in the kitchen. Sid met Maxine's look and they both shook their heads with a smile.

"Hi, Sid." Came a meek and shy voice that the pirate almost didn't hear. Sid turned around to see Nathan and Hunter's sister, standing awkwardly at a distance from him and a look of pure embarrassment on her face. Sid squinted at her then suddenly recognized who she was.

"Holy crap, is that Ella?" He asked in disbelief. The fourteen year old cougar smiled and nodded, her brown curly hair bouncing with the movement.

"Look at you! Last time I saw you, you were these guys' age!" Sid said and pulled the teenager into a hug. She blushed profusely and timidly hugged him back. She pulled away and avoided eye contact with him, her gaze eventually reaching her older cousin.

"Hi, Maxine." She said again quietly.

"Hey, Squirt." Maxine replied with a small smile. Ella's crush on Sid was always amusing and even Maxine could appreciate the cuteness of it. Just mentioning the older feline's name would cause the young girl to blush and hide her face in a magazine.

"Hey, Maxine!" Nathan shouted, tugging on her pant leg. "Do you still smoke? Our teacher says it's bad for you." Hunter asked, staring at the pack of cigarettes in her back pocket.

"Trust me, after another year with you two, she's gonna take up the habit real quick." Maxine stated, prying Nathans fingers off her jeans. "Where's my dad?" She asked them.

"I think he's upstairs." Hunter answered. As if on cue, heavy footsteps thudded from upstairs and made their way down the staircase, the steps creaking under something heavy. The steps came closer until Maxine's father entered the room.

A large man, his shoulders broad and chest wide with thick arms that stretched the sleeves of his collared shirt. A large but solid stomach hung slightly over his belt and lightly worn out slacks. His fur was a darker shade of grey, noticeably different from Maxine and her mother's tan color. His dark blue eyes met Maxine's green ones and a wide smile graced his muzzle.

"There's my little darling."

The large cat embraced his daughter who mumbled, "Hi, Dad." He kissed her on the head and gave her shoulders a squeeze. He looked past her to see Sid and he grinned even wider.

"Sidney! Always good to see you, son. Still got that mop on your head I see." He laughed. "You're just mad you're losing all yours." Sid laughed back and shook the older and larger feline's hand.

"It's good to have you here. I'm sorry that you couldn't see your folks for Christmas." Maxine's father told him sincerely. Sid waved it off and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"It's no big deal. I'll see them after. I just hope I'm not intruding here."

"Nonsense! You're practically family! Now come on into the kitchen both of you, we got dinner cooking and we need to make sure we got enough for the bottomless pit you call a stomach, Sid." He joshed, wrapping an arm around Maxine and slapping Sid on the back.

"Good luck with that." Maxine said sarcastically.

"You guys got two hams, right?" Sid asked as they left the living room.

* * *

><p>The evening carried on into night and a soft snowfall covered the sky, lights from houses casting their glow and warmth onto the fresh powder. Inside Maxine's house, the family, including Sid were all enjoying a delicious and hot Christmas dinner. Maxine's mother was constantly asking people if they had enough, Hunter and Nathan were trying to hide their vegetables under their napkins while Ella was trying not to stare at Sid who sat across from her. Sid himself was busy shoveling down a plate that could only be described as a seven pound mash up of ham, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, beets and carrots. Maxine's dad watched in fascination as the lion hardly came up for air.<p>

"You…got enough there, Sid?" He asked in astonishment. Sid looked up, swallowing a large mouthful and answered, "I could probably use another few slices of ham."

"And potatoes. And corn. And beets. And more ham." Maxine snickered, biting into her own slice of pork.

"I can't help it. Diana's cooking is too darn good." He said, smiling at her mother. "Oh Sidney, you always know what I want to hear." Maxine's mother laughed, getting up and serving him another few slices.

"Why do you eat so much, Sid?" Hunter asked, staring at his once again full plate.

"Gotta feed the muscles if you wanna grow, little man." Sid responded, flexing an impressive bicep that stretched the sleeves of one of his trademark Jolly Roger crested polo shirts.

Ella quickly averted her eyes down to her plate again, a crimson streak rising across her muzzle. Maxine noticed and held back a smirk. That kid was going to blush herself to death if Sid kept hanging around. She went back to her meal but watched Sid from the corner of her vision, her eye tracing the definition and tone of his large arm that disappeared under the sleeve.

Maxine felt herself straighten up and shrug off her own heat that donned her face.

She cursed under her breath that this annoyance was still lingering and here of all places. It was starting to get on her nerves. But once again she concluded that it isn't something that could be helped and that it would run its course eventually.

As much as a pain in the ass that it was.

"So, Maxine," Her father started, wiping his mouth and swallowing his last few bites. "How are things in the city?"

"Fine." Is all she replied, a familiar and dreaded feeling rising up inside her as she stabbed her fork into her potatoes.

"How's the job going?" He continued, leaning on his elbows.

"Fine, Dad." Maxine said with a tone that told him she didn't want to head in this certain direction and a look to match.

"And you're still fine working in an electronics store for your career?"

Maxine dropped her utensils, the sound echoing throughout the dining room and she clenched her hands into fists. Maxine's mother gave her husband a stern disapproving glance.

"Baxter." She said in a low and annoyed tone.

"What? I'm just asking a question." He defended, throwing his hands up. "I can't ask my daughter a question?"

"I swear to God, Dad…" Maxine hissed. "I just want to make sure you're happy there. Your uncle can get you a good recommendation at Pennsylvania State." Her father told her.

"Anytime you're ready Maxine, just let me know." Her uncle said, ignoring the look his brother was giving him.

"Dad." Maxine said, her voiced strong and her eyes narrowing at him. "I don't want to go back to college. I am _happy_ with my job. I _like_ my job. I _like_ my life the way it is. Why can't you be happy with it?"

Her father stared at her for a moment before sitting back in defeat and throwing his napkin down.

"Fine. Sue me for caring about you and your future." He muttered.

There was an awkward silence that filled the room after that. Sid was no longer stuffing food down his mouth as he sat completely still trying to avoid eye contact with anybody. Maxine flicked away a stray pea, no longer hungry. Maxine's mother let out a sigh and stood up.

"Well, I'm going to take these dirty dishes and get the dessert. Baxter, could you help me?" She said a little forcibly to her significant other. Sighing, the large cougar pushed away from the table and stood up, following his wife with an armful of dirty plates. Maxine waited until they were both out of the room before she stood up and marched out of the room, tail trailing behind her.

Sid's eyes followed her stomping up the stairs and he bit his lower lip. He considered following her but decided against it, figuring she needed to cool off. He found that Nathan and Hunter were staring at him in anticipation.

"Can we wrestle now, Sid?" Hunter asked. "Sweetie, leave Sidney alone. He's probably tired from the train ride." Aunt Carolyn told her son softly.

"No, no, I'm fine." Sid reassured her. "Tell you what guys, I'll go help your aunt and uncle with the dishes and then we'll get to slammin', okay?" He told them.

"Okay." They both said in unison.

"How about you boys go take some dessert to Maxine? Ella can you go with them and…keep her company?" Sid asked the teenaged feline with hopeful eyes. She nodded sheepishly, knowing that she could never say no to the handsome swashbuckler.

Sid thanked her and made his way to the kitchen. He would talk to Maxine later tonight. He cast a look at his bag that rested near the front door. Maybe he would be able to give her some Christmas cheer tonight.

* * *

><p>Maxine lay on her bed in her old room, arms behind her head and eyes closed.<p>

A set of large headphones were placed over her ears that connected to an old turntable. A vinyl record of Joan Jett's _Bad Reputation_ was spinning under the needle, the music and lyrics bursting forth into the headphones. Her tail flickered back and forth in an aggravated pattern that fit her current mood. The cigarette wielding cougar was so preoccupied, she didn't hear the sound of her door opening and feet shuffling across the carpet.

The sweet smell of apples and cinnamon hit her nose and she opened her eyes to see her two little cousins holding up a plate of apple pie to her.

"Sid told us to bring this to you." Nathan explained, somewhat bored as Maxine took off her headphones. She stared at the dessert and brief image of the one who ordered it for her flashed in her mind which caused her to frown.

"I'm not hungry." Is all she said before staring back up at the ceiling with the headphones back on.

"More for us!" Hunter exclaimed. As the two boys sat down on the floor, digging into their now second helping, Ella wandered in, shyly rubbing her arm. She looked at all the random bands of punk, rock and metal that covered the walls and ceiling as she sat down on the end of Maxine's bed. Feeling the shift in weight, Maxine sat up, taking off her headphones again and arched a brow at her cousin.

"Is there something you want, Ella?" She asked tiredly, making it more than obvious she wanted to be left alone. The other cougar shook her head and toyed with a strand of hair.

"Sid asked me to keep you company." She answered, trying not to show her typical reaction when thinking about the mentioned individual. "He did, did he?" Maxine mused. It figured. Sid always had to play the hero. Whether it was putting on a mask and fighting crime or something as simple as checking up on her, even if he did have to use children for it.

She softly laughed and shook her head at that. He could be sweet when he wasn't being a total dork.

"And you just couldn't say no, could you?" Maxine asked her with a small grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. Ella said nothing but looked away embarrassed. Maxine sighed and sat up. As much as she wanted to be alone, her father's words were still burning inside her, she decided she could use a distraction.

"So," Maxine started, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and stretching her arms. "You still got the hots for Sid."

Ella stiffened and she hid her eyes with her hair.

"Eww! Don't give Sid cooties, Ella!" Nathan groaned with a mouthful of pie. His sister flushed harder and tried to hide her entire face with her lengthy curls. "Can it you little creep." Maxine ordered. Nathan responded by sticking his tongue out at her.

"Aren't there any boys your age chasing after you? Because I hate to break it to you, kiddo but unless you age fourteen years tonight, I'd start making some dates." Maxine advised the girl, ignoring the younger relative.

"I know that." Ella mumbled, still embarrassed. "I mean, there are _some_ boys that are cute but…"

"But?"

"They're not like Sid." She finished quietly. Maxine snorted a laugh and ruffled the girl's hair. "Believe me, Sid would drive you crazy. You're better off with a _normal_ guy." She said, standing up and fixing the low hanging shoulders of her silver lined black shirt.

"Maxine?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you and Sid ever go out?"

Maxine stared at her for a second before shaking her head. "No. You know that."

"How come?"

Maxine was silent again. She wasn't expecting these types of questions and to be honest, they were hitting closer to home than she liked with everything that was going on with her. Despite that, she still answered.

"Sid and I are best friends. We never wanted to date each other and if we did, it would have been over before it started."

"How do you know?" Ella asked.

"What the hell is with these questions all of a sudden? You've never been interested in Sid and I's relationship before. Please tell me you're not getting influenced by those goddamn _Twilight_ movies." Maxine answered, a slight hint of exasperation in her voice. Ella slightly edged away from her, knowing full well the temper her cousin possessed and felt no need to test it.

"I heard your mom talking to my mom about it last night…" She answered quietly.

Maxine let her head fall back and her hands clenched into fists again for the second time again that night. Of course she was. Of all the times for this to happen…

She felt her blood boil and she growled loudly in her throat before turning on her heel and hotly leaving the room. She stopped at the door way and pointed to Ella.

"Stay here and watch these two. Don't let their sticky fingers touch any of my stuff. Got it?"

Ella nodded quickly as Maxine stormed out, quickly descending the stairs. She blew through the living room, her aunt and uncle casting looks, her anger fueling each step she took. Shoving the swinging door open to the kitchen, she saw Sid drying some dishes with her mom as her dad stood to the side. They turned as she entered and she pointed at Sid.

"Sid, get out please." She ordered through clenched teeth.

"Maxine…" Her mother started softly knowing where things were heading but she was cut off quickly by her daughter. "I said get out, Sid."

"Now listen here, young lady…" Her father began but it was Sid who interrupted him. "No, it's okay, Baxter. I'll go get the kids and we'll wrestle around in the living room." He said.

Sid made his way out of the kitchen but not before leaning close to Maxine's ear and whispering, "Go easy on them."

Maxine waited until he was gone before walking up to the kitchen table and leaning on it with her head hanging. She had no idea who to start with. They both were equally responsible for the anger she was feeling. Her father for putting her down in front of everyone and her mother for pulling her typical nonsense with her romantic life. Under normal circumstances, that wouldn't have bothered her as much but because it had to involve Sid and what she was currently dealing with, it only fueled her annoyance and ire with it.

"That was rude, Maxine." Her father stated.

Now she knew who to start with.

"You know what's rude, Dad?" She almost screamed at him. "You belittling me in front of everyone with your typical bullshit!"

"Watch your mouth! And what are you talking about? I never belittled you."

"Come on, Dad! You never stop with this! Every time I come home, you have to try and force me into going back to school! And when you realized I wasn't going to go back on my own, you decided to try and bully me back! By calling me a failure and trying to make me feel bad about my life!"

Her father looked taken back, his face softening. Maxine's mother stepped forward but before she could speak, she found Maxine's finger pointed in her face.

"And you!" She cried, the anger driving her voice, "I don't care who you think I should date or who's good for me! I'll go out with whoever I want and will deal with the consequences! You have no right to tell me who I can see or not and you _especially _have no right to involve Sid!"

The heavier set cougar placed a hand over her chest and stepped back slightly.

"When are you two going to let me live my life?" Maxine asked, a little softer but still irate. "You have to stick your noses into everything I do. What I'm doing, who I'm seeing, how I'm dressing and no matter if I'm happy with things, _you're_ not and that's all that seems to matter."

There was an uncomfortable silence as no one spoke. Maxine sighed heavily and fell into a nearby chair, elbows on the table and face in her hands.

"This is why I don't call or visit as much as I use to." She stated through her hands. "I love you guys but I can't take the headaches anymore. I just can't."

Her parents looked at each other and both approached her. Her mother sat down next to her while her father stood behind her. Maxine's mom was the first to speak, reaching out and gently clasping one of her hands.

"I'm sorry we made you feel that way, Sweetheart." She apologized softly.

"Yeah, Darling. I never meant to put you down or call you a failure." Her dad added. "It's just we worry about you, you know? You're all alone in that big city and with the economy the way it is, we just want to make sure you'll be okay. That's why I push going back to school on you so much."

"But I told you I like my job, Dad. I make good money and I could even be promoted in the next couple months and making more money. You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes I do." He chuckled, softly placing his hands on her shoulders. "That's our job. Right, Diana?" He asked his wife.

"Full time, year round." She replied with a smile. Maxine failed in holding back a small laugh. Mostly due to what Sid had told her when they reached the house early in the afternoon. She felt her mother squeeze her hand and she looked up at her.

"I don't mean to pry into your romantic life, honey. It's just…some of these boys you date seem so…so…"

"Shitty." Her husband finished for her. She gave him a glare but continued. "Those boys weren't good enough for you and you deserve so much better. Someone like Sid."

"You act as if I've never had a successful relationship. What about Mark? We dated for almost three years after high school. You said you liked him." Maxine defended.

"That was a lie. I always wanted to wring the little bastard's neck." Her father pointed out causing Maxine to let out a vexed groan. "So, what? You're saying I should be banging Sid?" Maxine questioned, forgetting for a moment that she was talking to her parents.

"I don't want to think about you banging _anyone_." Her father stated with an uncomfortable tone in his voice that caused Maxine's face to redden with embarrassment.

"Maxine," Her mother said, trying to bring the focus back to the issue and away from something she never wants to hear again in her life, "I'm not trying to tell you who you can see or not. I know you're a big girl and that you can make decisions on your own."

"Then why are you talking about me and Sid?"

"Because out of all the boys you've brought home or I've had to hear about, Sidney was always the one I hoped you would be holding hands with."

Maxine sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that night and pinched the bridge of her muzzle. Why did God hate her? Why did he feel the need to curse her with this already awkward situation with Sid and then have her mother make it even worse?

"Please tell me you didn't say anything to Sid." She groaned. "No of course not." Her mom reassured her.

"Mom, Sid and I are friends. THAT'S IT. We don't want to be anything more. You know he's like a brother to me." Maxine stressed.

"I know. It's just…"

"Just what, Mom?"

The parent let a soft chuckle escape her lips as she shook her head. "When I look at Sid, I see someone who's going to be there for you. Care about you and protect you. That's more than I can say about others I've seen."

"Christ, Mom, I don't need someone to protect me. I can take care of myself. Sid even knows that." Maxine stated, crossing her arms. "And he's not Mr. Perfect you know. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff he's done over the years."

"I'm sorry, Maxine. You spend so much time with him that I thought maybe it was an option."

"This isn't the fifties, Mom." Maxine said, failing in holding back a slightly amused grin. "Men and women can spend time with each other without romantic intentions. Believe me, it's all the rage."

Her mother simply nodded and then there was another silence. Maxine breathed through her nose loudly and squeezed her mother's hand.

"I know you guys adore Sid. He's great. I love him but not in that way. Maybe in some alternate universe we would be dating but in this universe, it just isn't going to happen."

That silence filled the kitchen again. Her mother met her daughter's eyes and she smiled warmly at her.

"Okay, Sweetheart. I'm sorry I nosed my way into your private life. I didn't mean to." She said softly. "Yeah. I'm sorry too, Darling. " Her father added, kissing her on top of the head.

"We don't mean to do these things. But you're our baby girl and we love you. We just want to make sure you're happy." He said. Maxine was silent for a minute, the anger that she felt earlier starting to wash away and be replaced by a comfort that only family can bring forth. She reached up with her other hand and squeezed her dad's.

"I know…I know…" She said quietly.

"Can you do us one favor, Maxine?" Her mother asked. "What?"

"Call us now and then. If we heard from you more often than we wouldn't worry as much."

"Alright." Maxine agreed with a smile. "Good. I'm glad that's over. Nothing like a fight on the holidays to put you in the Christmas mood." Her father joshed, causing her to laugh and roll her eyes.

"Now then," He sniffed, "Where's the rest of that pie?"

Maxine snorted another laugh before standing up. She felt the sudden warm embrace of her mother and she returned it, her anger disappearing completely. It was short however as her mother let go and quickly slapped at her husband's hands that were digging into a rather large piece of pie.

"What!?"

"You don't need that big of a piece."

"But Sid had four of these!"

"Sid's in shape. I can't say the same for you." She said, poking his large stomach.

Maxine left her parents to their teasing with a shake of her head and left the kitchen, approaching the sounds of laughter in the living room.

* * *

><p>"Head scissors!"<p>

Sid lifted up Hunter who wrapped his legs around the lion's thick neck, Sid spinning him and he rolled forward across the carpet. He got his knees in time to see Hunter jump off the couch onto him. Sid caught him and tossed him across his shoulders with the little cougar facing the ceiling.

"Now I got you for the Burning Hammer!" Sid declared. "But what's this? A reversal?" He said as he gently made the little cub back flip on to his feet. Hunter gave him a playful punch to the stomach which Sid doubled over in mock pain. The boy grabbed him by the head and Sid performed a handstand. Hunter fell down on his side and Sid spiked himself into the carpet, folding over and landing on his back.

"Devastating Brainbuster!" Sid called out, pretending to be unconscious. Both kids climbed back onto the couch and jumped off together, splashing onto their opponent's large chest.

"One! Two! Three!" Sid counted out loud and went limp. Hunter and Nathan sat up giggling and Sid threw a thumbs up to them. "Good work guys! You're still the champions."

"Yay! Champions!" They cried. The boys' parents walked in smiling at them and picked them up off the fallen feline.

"Okay you little champs, time for bed." Their uncle told them.

"Aww!" Hunter and Nathan cried in disappointment. "Now, now, you don't want Santa coming down the chimney seeing you two beating up poor Sid do you?"

The children immediately shook their heads, no longer showing signs of discontent. Sid picked himself off the ground and ruffled both their heads.

"Night you guys. I'll put in a good word for you with the big guy."

"Night, Sid." They murmured as they were carried away up stairs. Sid chuckled and dusted himself off when a voice called forth his attention.

"That was so adorable I could vomit."

He looked over to see Maxine leaning against the living room door frame, an amused smile donning her muzzle. Sid returned the smile and fixed some stray hairs that hung in his face.

"Most things make you want to vomit." He replied. His smile faded and he scratched the back of head. "How…did things go?"

Maxine pushed off the door frame and wandered into the room, her eyes roaming over the colorfully decorated tree that rested in the corner, presents lying underneath waiting to be open in the morning. She looked back to her old friend and smiled again. "Everything's gravy."

Sid gave her a large grin that spread his cheeks wide. "Well that's good to hear." He said, relief in his voice. Maxine nodded in agreement and ran a hand through her hair then placed both in her pockets. The two cats stood there in silence. An awkward and uneasy feeling started to creep through both of them, not unlike last week. Sid coughed breaking the silence and sat down on the couch.

"Well…you wanna…watch a movie or something." He asked. The golden haired pirate felt oddly weird. The silence between them as they stood alone reminded him of the incident and frankly, it was something he didn't want to be reminded of. Once was strange enough.

Maxine had a sudden image flash in her head when he uttered his offer. Both of them, on the couch together, alone. It made her feel…uncomfortable. Despite the fact it was something they have done a million times. Without even thinking about it, she let out a loud yawn and gave him a sheepish shrug.

"Normally I'd say yes but I think I'm going to call it early tonight." She said apologetically. Sid nodded and scratched himself under the chin. "Fair enough. I guess I'd be pretty drained too with everything that's happened tonight." He concurred.

"You don't know the half of it." Maxine softly laughed, looking down at her socks, her tail twisting lazily behind her.

"Max."

She brought her head up at the sound of her name being called and found herself staring up at Sid who was suddenly much closer than before. She almost took a step back as she sucked in a breath absentmindedly. Sid smile down at her with his blue eyes and pulled out something from a backpack that he had brought with him today. Maxine watched as he cradled a small brightly wrapped box with shinning colors of red and green. There was a little tag attached to it with a Jolly Roger insignia and the lion's name written in impressive cursive.

Impressive for him that is.

"I was going to give this to you tomorrow morning but I figured we're here now so why not?" He told her, present waiting for her in an outstretched hand.

Maxine took it from him, catching her reflection in the wrapping paper's almost glass like surface and frowned at him.

"What the hell is this?" She asked. "I think you need to open it to find out, dumbass." Sid answered with a snicker.

"No I mean why are you giving me a gift?"

"I've gotten you something before."

"Yeah, vodka and rum once or twice but nothing to the point where you would actually wrap something." Maxine pointed out, still staring at the small rectangular box. Sid crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Why are you so off put by this? Is it so wrong to give my best friend a gift on Christmas?"

"Yes." She answered causing Sid to show a look of surprise on his face. "It's wrong when I didn't get you anything, dill-hole." Maxine said softly and with a tiny smile. Sid laughed and shifted his weight from one left to the other while shaking his head.

"Trust me, it's fine. There's nothing I really want these days anyway. Except maybe a million dollars and Kate Beckinsale naked and covered in chocolate sauce."

"You must so damn disappointed every Christmas." Maxine chuckled as she shook the box slightly and started to unwrap the present. "I can't believe you wrapped this. I've seen you try and fold your own laundry and that's a struggle."

"Liz may have helped."

"That's even more unbelievable."

The cougar tore off the last remaining bits of paper to discover a long, small black box. She eyed Sid suspiciously who gave her a cheshire cat grin. She removed the lid of the box and her face flashed a look of surprise. Inside the box was a choker. Maxine picked it up, her fingers gliding across the smooth leathery strap that was as black as midnight. Bright silver studs that were paired up in rows and sectioned into squares lined the strap like tiny shining pyramids. At the very front of the choker, Maxine gently touched the medallion that hung from the bottom. A silver paw print that cast a glow in the reflection of the lights on the tree.

Maxine stared at it for a moment before looking up at her friend.

"Jesus, Sid..." She breathed in disbelief. "That's the one you wanted, right?" He asked, a little worried that perhaps he had picked the wrong one. Maxine nodded, still gently cradling the garment in her hands.

"I knew you were looking for a new one. Your current one was getting kinda worn out and every time we went to that shop in the mall, you were always looking at it."

She looked up and frowned at him again.

"This wasn't cheap, Sid. This is real silver." She stated, not liking the idea of Sid blowing that much money on her.

"Eh, I know a guy who knows a guy. All in all, it wasn't too bad." Sid reassured her. Maxine went back to staring at the choker, admiring the work and skill of the craftsman who made the medallion.

"You just gonna stare at it all night or are you going to put it on?" Sid asked. Maxine didn't answer at first but eventually shook her head and held it out to him. "I can't. Take it back and get your money back." She said firmly.

"It's a gift, Max."

"It's too damn much. You shouldn't be wasting your money on something that I wanted."

Sid looked at the choker in her hand and reached out to take it but instead closed her fingers around it and pushed it back towards her.

"It's yours." He said softly. "It doesn't matter how much it costs. It doesn't matter that you didn't get me anything. Christmas is about giving and this is my gift to you. So pull that stick out of your ass and take that damn present." He added with another grin.

Maxine stared at him before letting out a small laugh despite herself and brushed away a few stray bangs from her eye.

"Well, I guess I've never said no to anything free before so why start now?" She said. Sid smiled even wider but took the choker back. "Turn around." He told her.

She did as he said and felt the latches on her current choker loosen and Sid tossed it to the side. He draped it over the front of her collar bone and brought it up, his fingers brushing past the sides of her neck. They were warm and light, the feeling threatening to coax a purr from her throat. She ignored it, difficult as it was and kept her eyes focus straight ahead as Sid finished fastening the latch.

"There. Let's take a look."

Maxine walked over to a nearby mirror that rested on a dresser in the hall. She ran her hand over the medallion and tilted her head from side to side to see the rest of the expensive gift. She turned back to Sid who gave her a thumbs up.

"Looking good! Do I rule or what?" He said proudly, puffing his chest out. Maxine let out a sarcastic laugh and walked back to him, poking the larger cat in the stomach. "Yeah, you rule. At being a loser."

"At least I'm not an ass face."

"Numb nuts."

"Chupacabra."

Maxine laughed for real this time and flicked at the medallion one last time, the object making a soft thumping sound against her neck and gave him a gentle smile, saying, "Thanks, Sid. It's...it's great."

"I'm glad you like it. Merry Christmas, Max." Was his reply. Maxine gave him one of her trademark smirks and crossed her arms.

"I suppose you want a hug now?"

"I won't hold my breath. I know how good cheer and sentimentality cause you to burst into flames."

Maxine chuckled and stepped closer to him. "I'll make an exception this time." She said.

Sid had made it obvious that Maxine was not one for sentimentality or as she puts it, 'huggy feely crap' but she was not a woman devoid of emotion. There was a slight hesitation on her part though unnoticed by Sid, due to the recent going ons in her mind but it was pushed aside if only to show him her appreciation. It was then, in their embrace that she realized there was just cause for her hesitation.

His scent hit her like a Japanese bullet train.

The strength of the lion's smell and the warmth of his arms around her caused Maxine to close her eyes for just a moment. In that moment, she leaned into him and gently rubbed her forehead into his shoulder. The purr that threatened to emerge from before had returned and was at the tip of her throat.

Little did she know that Sid was having his own moment.

The sea of her fire engine red hair tickled at his nose and Sid couldn't help but take a soft inhale. She smelled sweet. He wasn't expecting that. Maxine was always so cynical and blunt that it was a bit of a pleasant irony. The warmth from her small slender body was a comfort that warmed him to the very core in the late winter night.

But they were only a moment.

Maxine's eyes snapped back open and she gently pushed away from him. Sid found himself returning back to the world and did the same. Ignoring the racing of her heart, Maxine smiled at him again.

"I'm going to bed. You okay on the couch?" She asked, tail fidgeting nervously. "Yeah. That's cool. Wouldn't be the first time I crashed on your couch." Sid answered, his fingers tugging oddly at the bottom of his polo shirt.

"Okay then. Night, Sid. Merry Christmas." She wished him as she headed for the stairs.

"Yeah...Merry Christmas, Max." He said more to himself than her as she disappeared up the stairs. Sid stood alone in the living room. He looked outside and saw freshly falling snow raining down from the blackened sky. He flopped down on the couch and stared at his feet, a hand running through his hair.

This was getting too weird.

His mind flashed an image of the incident back at the apartment and he quickly shook it loose. He wasn't going to let this get to him. Not again. He thought back to his earlier conversation with Zig and focused on the iguana's good points. Standing up and taking out his sleeping wear from his bag, Sid was beginning to think of the most obvious solution of how to get rid of this. He took off his shirt and jeans and slipped into his pajama bottoms. Taking a spare blanket from the love seat next to the couch, he lay down, the couch creaking slightly under his weight. He tucked his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling.

Something was going to have to change when he got back. The last thing he wanted was to go through this again.

He was going to have to make some dates.

* * *

><p>It was late.<p>

The snow still fell outside, a heavy blanket of white covering the world outside which was drenched in the shadow of night. Everyone everywhere slept soundly in their warm beds. A few children still lay awake in hopes to hear Santa's sleigh touch down on the roofs of their houses. Another individual was awake in the cold night but her cause for tossing and turning in her bed was far beyond that of the excitement of Christmas morning.

Maxine growled silently and punched her mattress in frustration.

The moment she had left Sid downstairs but a few hours ago, her mind and body began to wreak havoc on her once more. Every little detail from their embrace had refused to leave her memory and it made her feel warm and uncomfortable at the same time. Maxine sat up, running her hands through her now messy hair, a deep sigh of aggravation leaving her lungs.

She needed a cigarette more than anything right now.

Casting off her blankets, she stood from her bed, carefully stepping over Nathan, Ella and Hunter who were wrapped up in sleeping bags on the floor. She grabbed her smokes from her dresser and silently exited her old room and tip toed her way through the hall, trying to avoid any creaking floor boards. The last thing she needed now was her parents catching her sneaking out to punish her lungs. After safely making it through the hall, she made her way down stairs.

Maxine made her way to the front door, her need for tobacco increasing with every step.

It was beginning to be too much. She understood that something like this takes time to disappear but it wasn't supposed to get worse. What the hell was wrong with her? Why was this happening? It was a stupid kiss that didn't even mean anything. A dumb, platonic, meaningless, warm, soft...

Maxine stopped just short of the door and pulled at her hair, a barrage of curse words ready to spill out from her mouth.

Pulling herself together, Maxine was about to opened the door when the tiniest hint of light caught her eye. She craned her neck to the side and saw that the source was from the Christmas tree, its red and white lights still aglow in the darkness. She also saw a mane of yellow hair, splashing out over the armrest followed by the sound of light snoring.

She smirked at the image of Sid, sprawled all over the couch like a true cat, drool dripping from the sides of his mouth as he dreamed. Maxine went back to the door but hesitated. Her desire for a cigarette was suddenly fading and instead replaced by that of curiosity. She tried to shake the feeling loose but to no avail. It only grew and before she knew it, she was walking into the living room towards the sofa. The cougar looked down to see her friend exactly in the position that she envisioned.

One leg was on the couch while the other was propped up on the back rest. His right arm was draped over his head and his left drooped off the side, laying palm side up on the floor. Sid's mouth was open and a small river of drool traveled down the sides of his mouth and wet the fur on his shoulder. He shuffled a bit in his sleep before muttering, "Look out, Gandalf...Velociraptors with lasers on their heads...let's use the Delorian…"

Maxine held back a laugh. Typical Sid dream. Her attention however was quickly shifted from his dreaming to a more...personal focus when she noticed his lack of clothing.

Maxine knew that Sid was in good shape. He had always been into fitness since High School and had only gotten into greater shape as time went on. She wasn't much of a sucker for a guy with a good body like most girls, not that you would see her complaining if she ever dated one but this was maybe the first time since a few years ago that she really looked at him.

And Christ, did he ever look amazing.

Her eyes traced over him slowly and without consciousness. From his golden tanned fur that brought out the form of his biceps and the curves of his triceps nicely to his large and perfectly sculpted chest. Her green irises lapped up the image of his abdomen, lined with muscle that caused her to bite her bottom lip and she couldn't help but continue downward to his pajama bottoms which hung dangerously low on his lean waist. Maxine's hand reached out and ever so gently dragged her fingers along his stomach, the firmness and ridges of the muscles sending a small chill up her spine. Sid stirred slightly but did not wake.

Maxine, realizing what she was doing, snapped her head up and a breath that she didn't know she was holding, escaped her. She clutched at her chest, fingers wringing the fabric of her white t-shirt she always sleeps in and backed away from the sleeping lion.

Her calling for a cigarette had been completely forgotten and she hurriedly exited the living room. Still clutching her chest, she made her way back the stairs. Not caring about the squeaking of floor boards this time, she went back to her room. Maxine avoided her cousins again and sat on her bed. She pulled her polka dot pajama covered legs up to her chest and breathed rapidly into her knees.

This wasn't supposed to be happening.

She was above stuff like this. She was above stupid cliché romance bullshit that happens in movies and books.

…Wasn't she?

* * *

><p><em>AN: Oh my. Things just don't seem to be getting easier, do they? And to make matters worse, things get even more crazy in the next chapter. Keep an eye out for it, it'll pop up sometime! Thanks for reading, Cya then!_


	5. New Year, Old Problems

_A/N: Managed to hammer out chapter 4 for ya'll. Things are getting interesting to say the least I think. Anyway, please, if you have any issues with this chapter, please, please, let me know. Something felt off about this but I might just be crazy. If not, enjoy!_

* * *

><p>"What are the rules again?"<p>

"Jesus, Liz. I'm not explaining it again."

"What's there to explain? You just bash a few skulls and make sure you're scorer is at the front."

"Crudely put, Max, but pretty accurate."

Sid, Maxine, Zig, Liz and Sylver stood among the crowd in a hot arena, anticipating the second match in the New Year's Roller Jam Tournament. The Bomb-Shell Britches were taking on their most heated rivals, the Chainsaw Grizzlies. The girls from the Britches were getting in formation, dealing hateful glares at their opponents who were just as intimidating. All except for one player.

Sunny smiled and waved to her boyfriend and friends with enthusiasm. They waved back, Sylver not even looking up from his phone. Sid twisted his head to give him a disapproving glare. Before he could even speak, Sylver cut him off, pointing a finger into his face.

"Can it, Tarzan. I'm hot, I'm bored and I'm wondering what the hell I'm even doing here when I could be out getting smashed with J-Bone and the boys like regular people on New Year's Eve."

"I guess supporting Sunny is too much of a drag, huh?" Sid replied with a sneer. "Sunny knows I don't want to be here but I am. How is that not supporting her? How about you keep your nose out of my life and go play Mr. Sensitive somewhere else?" Sylver shot back, going back to his phone.

Sid turned back and leaned against the safety railing, letting out a disgusted sigh.

"Why do you even bother? It's not like he's going to change." Maxine pointed out, leaning against the railing along with him.

"Honestly, I have no idea." Sid confessed. "I guess I just feel bad that Sunny puts up with him. Maybe I'm just trying to make it easier for her if I can talk some sense into him."

"They're a bullshit couple in a bullshit relationship. If Sunny wants to play pretend with him, that's her deal, not yours. I don't like it any more than you but it's her choice and you can't always be the hero in everything, Sid." Maxine stated firmly.

Sid frowned at that but shrugged in acceptance. He couldn't argue that even if he wanted to. Maxine watched him come to terms with that and turned her attention back to the players. As she watched Hurricane Harley scream at Sunny to put her game face on and stop smiling, she found a small portion of her focus was still on Sid.

The events of Christmas Eve were but a memory though it still burned in her mind as if it had just happened.

She did not sleep much that night and was rather quiet all of Christmas Day. No one seemed to notice which she was thankful for but her actions that night had followed her home. She thought about maybe talking to Liz again but figured that her insight would only be the same. That and she didn't feel comfortable telling her she stroked her best friend's abs like a creeper.

Maxine decided perhaps it would be best if she just stayed away from Sid for a few days. She wouldn't full out avoid him but rather keep to herself for a while. The first day or two was hard as she still felt the confusion of her actions plague her mind like a thick fog. It was clear that she had let this whole thing get to her and she felt like a fool for doing so. In the end, she made the decision to detox herself in the way that she usual approached when something got under her skin enough.

Smokes, red meat, booze and bad television for a day.

Having her fill of some of her most favorite things tended to numb her to everything else in her mind. Fortunately this was no different...to an extent. While her routine of bad health choices calmed the internal storm inside her, it didn't quite rid her of it. And that bothered her to no end.

But at least now she could look and talk to him without picturing him the way he was on her parent's couch a few days ago.

Maxine whipped her head to the side to fix her hair while at the same time trying to cast out her thoughts from her head. A futile effort which she expected but anything was worth a shot at this point.

Maxine sighed and stretched out a kink in her neck. It was New Years and that meant she should be having fun. She was getting tired of all this drama in her head and needed to unwind. Partying like no tomorrow, getting hammered and maybe lucky enough to score a little action with a guy who doesn't smell like garbage.

Of course when she gets enough liquor into her, it's hard to tell the difference between a guy looking like George Clooney and a guy looking like George "The Animal" Steele.

She laughed at that despite herself and focused back on the game in front of her. She was going to enjoy herself tonight. She wasn't going to get all weird again with Sid. They were all going to have fun tonight at _CJ's_ together like they always do.

Hell, maybe she'll kill enough brain cells tonight and forget about this whole thing.

* * *

><p>Sid watched as the Britches kept on the tails of the Grizzlies.<p>

It was an intense round and the score was tied. Neither jammer seemed to be able to get past the blockers, especially Sunny. For the sweetheart that she was, that girl could dish out a pretty mean hip check.

He chuckled at the image of her slamming a girl down only to throw out an apology as they kept skating. She really was a nice girl.

Easy to take advantage of for a guy like Sylver.

The lion growled in his throat at the mere thought of the lupine but decided to let it go. There's nothing more he would love to do then elbow drop that pinhead into next week but if Sunny wants to be with him, then he had to respect that. Even if she wanted to ignore the disaster they call a relationship.

"Oh for Christ's sake! Open your eyes, ref!"

His attention suddenly turned back to Maxine who was practically jumping over the railing, screaming at one of the officials. He couldn't help but laugh at her as Liz tried to calm her down. Sid turned back to the match but despite watching the event, his mind ended up wandering back to the woman beside him.

That sweet aroma that filled his nose when they hugged on Christmas still lingered in his mind as if he was there again. A small part of him had an urge to smell it again.

Sid blinked a few times before realizing what he was thinking about and cleared his throat in self embarrassment. He found himself grimacing as he tried to watch the skaters battle for dominance. His hormones were starting to get a little out of whack and that was not what he wanted.

Truth be told, his efforts to arrange a date since returning from Maxine's parents' house have been somewhat futile.

Sid never really had a problem attracting women. Even when he was on shift at _CJ's_ he occasionally caught the wandering eye of a few admirers. He always attributed it to the fact he was a bit of a goof ball and girls seemed to like that. Sid didn't pay much mind to his more physical qualities though he would be lying if they didn't help immensely in the process. No, attracting women was not an issue for the lion.

It was the type of women he attracted that was the problem.

Sid, like any other man on the planet, was attracted to a pretty face and desirable figure but that only went so far. Personality and wit was something that attracted him more. Someone who would appreciate his sense of humor and could playfully trade insults without getting over sensitive. But to ask for all that including some charm and kindness seemed to be asking too much. Too much for him anyway.

Whether it was due to high maintenance or the issue that their personality was as about as exciting as a sock puppet, Sid's past relationships never lasted for very long. His longest relationship was just over a yearlong and that was giving it more time than it deserved. Not every woman in his life was a failure but in the end, it just never seemed to work out.

In the last few days since Christmas, he had tried to meet a few women, most of them being found at his work. Unfortunately no one seemed to interest Sid all that much.

There was Cindy who worked as a bouncer. She was nice and very funny but she was a bit of a shut in, never really wanting to leave her apartment. Samantha, who was one of the drink girls, was very attractive but Sid always saw her using her looks to get men to pretty much trip over themselves to do something for her. Heather the hostess. The less said about her the better. Then there was Tanya who was one of the bartenders. A bubbly and excited vixen that Sid very much liked. Her taste for excitement and adventure matched his own but hers went to the extreme.

Like running naked through a firing range extreme. He was fine with them staying as friends.

There were the customers as well. Random women who all sent him seductive smiles and other gestures of interest as he hauled kegs back and forth from the trucks outside. His interest in them was just as fleeting. Sid had played the bar scene before and while it was fun for a time, it quickly got old and boring.

Waking up in a strange bed with an even stranger woman, having no idea how he got there had also gotten real old, real fast.

That whole partying bachelor lifestyle in general had just lost all of its appeal and Sid was looking for something more...real. But like much of his luck lately, things just didn't seem to want to go his way.

Sighing inwardly, Sid continued to watch the game, the cheers around him drowning out is frustrations.

* * *

><p>"Go! Go!" Hurricane Harley screamed at her team as the final minute of the clock was winding down. The Britches had managed to get ahead by a point but the Grizzlies were gaining on them fast, their scorer breaking through the Britches jammers.<p>

Judy Boom looked over her shoulder to see the ocelot speed past one of her jammers who missed a hip check and ended up falling on her face. She grimaced and pumped her legs to speed up, determined not to lose the lead. The ocelot was making a break for it, her strides long and powerful, closing the distance between them. Gritting her teeth, Judy put everything she had into her legs and pushed on. It seemed to be a futile effort as the other girl was just about to pass her, a mocking grin on her muzzle.

It was quickly wiped off as it suddenly turned to one of surprise and then fear as she was sent flying off the track itself.

_"What the hell?"_ Judy thought in bewilderment. She looked over to see Sunny giving her one of her trademark smiles.

"I got your back, partner!" Sunny said, raising a large claw in thumbs up. Judy said nothing as the timer went off that signaled the end of the game. The Britches had won and they all skated into a giant team hug, all of them praising Sunny.

Hurricane Harley came bounding over, with her arms up in the air. "You did it, Fresh Meat! Holy hell, you did it!"

"Aw, I just made a block is all. Judy was the one who-"

"Can it, Sunshine." Judy interrupted, taking off her helmet and running a hand through her ebony hair. "You did good out there and you saved my ass. This is your moment. Enjoy it."

The next thing the rabbit knew was that she found herself in a massive bear hug from the mole. "Thanks, partner!" Sunny squealed.

"GET. OFF." Judy hissed through her teeth, her ribs feeling like they were going to break. Sunny let go and pulled her other teammates into the same type of hug. Harley laughed to herself as she watched the mole skate off to the side where she greeted what must be some friends of hers.

"The kid's a real barrel of muffins and sugar plums." She mused to Judy. "She's a barrel of something alright." Judy concurred.

"Good work out there, Boom. With you and Sunny, we may have a shot at the championship this year." The elephant stated and gave her a congratulatory shot in the arm. Judy snorted in response and stretched out her legs, the tightness starting to form and she wanted to avoid any injuries, small or not especially if they have the chance Harley thinks they do. Judy looked over to where Sunny was and noticed her friends.

She saw her friends, the two iguanas that she had mentioned before, Liz and Zig. She couldn't remember who was who, not that she really cared. There was Sunny's boyfriend, Sylver, a wolf who looked like he spent too much time in front of a mirror and getting slapped by every woman at a club. He had 'douchebag' written all over him. Odd how she hooked up with a guy like that.

Judy noticed the red haired cougar who smiled and said something to Sunny that made her laugh. The rabbit frowned at her. She remembered her from the try outs when Sunny first arrived. Judy wasn't impressed by her and even less impressed by her lack of interest in safety and fair play. She also gave another girl a broken nose during a practice run.

The girl seemed like a bit of bitch in her opinion and Judy hoped to avoid her at all costs if the moment ever arises.

Then she noticed someone she hadn't seen before. There was one other friend Sunny went on about sometimes, Sid was it? Judy stretched her hamstring while looking at the lion, a large smile plastered on his face.

Long blonde hair floated past his shoulders and bangs hung in his eyes that he often brushed away with a hand. He was quite handsome which was hard to pull off with that eighties metal band hair cut but he managed quite well. Her eyes wandered down to his frame which was big and she could tell by the way he filled out his shirt that he was in very good shape. A small approving smile graced her lips as she switched to her other leg.

_"Not bad. Not bad at all."_

Judy could see Sunny finishing up with them and she skated back to the team.

"Hold up, Meat." Judy stopped her as she skated by. "Yes, Judy?" Sunny asked ever so politely as she waited for the rabbit to stand up. Judy cracked her neck and looked over to where Sid was. He was discussing something with the guy iguana who was agreeing with nods of his head.

"Who's the blonde?" She asked, tilting her heads toward the lion's direction. Sunny blinked and looked over to who she was referring to.

"Oh! That's Sid! He's one of my friends from my apartment!"

"Yeah, I got that. You going to introduce me or what?"

Sunny was taken aback by her request for a moment. She had never shown any interest in her friends before. She quickly switched back to her usual self and said, "Why sure! Sid's a great guy! You'll love him!"

Sunny turned back to her group but found them shuffling out towards the exit. "Oh. They're all heading to Sid's work, _CJ's_ for the rest of New Year's. I was supposed to meet them there. You can come along if you like and I can introduce you to everybody!" Sunny exclaimed.

Judy thought for a moment. She was just planning to go home to some vodka and call it an early night but with this new development, something in her brain told her to go. Probably had something to do with Sunny's attractive friend.

Actually, that had everything to do with it.

"Sure, why not? I could use a drink after this game." Judy shrugged. Sunny squealed in excitement and went to hug her again but was held away at arm's length. Judy sighed and shook her head.

"We need some ground rules, Sunshine..."

* * *

><p><em>"This is more like it."<em>

Maxine thought as she tossed back another shot of whiskey at the bar with Sid. Sid wiped his lips and put down his glass, waving his hand.

"Whew! I think I'm gonna call it there for the shots." He stated, turning the tiny cup upside down. Maxine snorted and shook her head.

"Pussy." She teased. Sid chuckled and stepped off the bar back towards the tables in the back area, Maxine in tow. The music was extra loud tonight and _CJ's_ was packed with partying patrons and new faces alike. The two felines pushed and squeezed through the masses until they came to their table where Zig, Liz and Sylver were all sitting. They both sat down at opposite ends of the booth, an extra spot reserved for Sunny.

"Sunny here yet?" Sid asked Liz to his left.

"Not yet but I got a text that said she should be here any minute." Liz replied. Sylver groaned at that, his head falling back against the booth wall. "Can't she get here any faster? This place sucks. J-Bone and the boys are at the _Neon Viper_ and that place is off the hook! I said I'd meet them there in twenty minutes!"

Maxine shook her head at him and watched as Sid urged forth every bit of will power not to hit the lupine in the middle of the table. She tried not to laugh but found it hard not to. Sylver eyed her oddly and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." She grinned, standing up. "Nature calls. Be right back."

Maxine left the table to the sounds of Liz and Zig saying something to Sylver and him whining about something else. Making her way to the washroom, she opened the door to find she was the only one in there. Heading to a stall, Maxine stopped when she past the mirror. She backtracked until she was standing in front of it, her eyes locked on the choker around her neck.

The medallion still shone like new despite her wearing it every day since Sid gave it to her. It had only been a few days since receiving it but for some reason it felt like she has had it forever. Maxine's hand lifted up and touched the studs on the side, the memory of Christmas still in her mind. Sid giving her the gift, refusing to take it back, hugging her, his scent filling her nostrils, the gentleness in his strong arms...

His half naked body lying on the couch for her to ogle.

She snapped out of her trance and shook her head. Turning on the faucet, she splashed some water onto her face. Maxine leaned against the sink and took a few deep breaths.

"Get a hold of yourself, Max." She told herself. "You were just out there having fun and none of this shit was going through your head. Stop acting like a stupid kid and grow the hell up." She finished through clenched teeth.

The cougar dried her face and finished up her business in the washroom and washed her hands. She gave herself one last look in the mirror and pushed all other thoughts about Christmas or her choker out of her head. Leaving the bathroom, Maxine pushed past the maze of drunks and party goers back to her table. When she finally got back, Maxine found Sunny sitting in her spot and no more room in the booth. She frowned and looked over to see a white furred rabbit sitting next to Sid, smiling at something he was saying.

Judy Boom.

Of all the people Sunny had to drag back here, why did it have to be her? Sunny knew how much she despised her. The lead Britches skater had a lot of attitude and even more ego to boot. How anyone could put up with her Maxine had no idea.

And why was she sitting so close to Sid?

A flash of annoyance and something else she couldn't identify lit up inside her as she cleared her throat causing all to look her way.

"Oh, Max!" Sunny said upon seeing the feline. "You remember Judy, right?"

Both Maxine and Judy exchanged nonchalant glances at each other making it obvious that whatever one thought about the other, the feeling was mutual. "Hey." Maxine greeted with disinterest.

"Yo." Judy replied with the same lack of enthusiasm. An episode of silence occurred between the group, the music in the background pounding away making things slightly uncomfortable. Maxine noticed that there was no longer room for her at the booth and suppressed throwing a scowl towards the reason for it.

"You gonna stand there all night or are you going to grab a chair?" Sid asked, staring at her with a perplexed look.

It was a simple thing really. There was a chair right beside her and all she had to do was sit down it and scoot forward a bit. It was the farthest thing from being a big deal.

But for Maxine, it was a _hell_ of a big deal.

These were her friends. She came here with them. Judy was just a sudden tag along. Why in the world should she have to give up her seat so they can include someone she doesn't even like? She didn't even think that Sunny liked her. What the hell was the point of that talk they had months ago? The more Maxine thought about it the more she began to resent the white rabbit talking to Sid.

But the cougar remained silent and grabbed the seat next to her and plopped down in it, scooting extra loudly towards the table, eyes staring daggers into Judy. Liz narrowed her eyes in a worried expression at the cougar's behavior. She looked like she was ready to knock someone's head off, particularly the girl currently chatting up Sid.

"So you work here?" Judy asked him.

"Yeah. Just a bar back though, nothing special. I work security from time to time too but one of the bartenders, Allan, is going to be teaching me to mix drinks pretty soon." Sid answered, taking a drink from his beer.

Judy nodded and looked around the place while trying to avoid Maxine's incessant frowning at her. "So, are you going to show me around or what?" She questioned with a playful grin on her muzzle. Sid stopped in mid drink and looked at her, the rest of the group doing the same. Maxine watched as Sid swallowed his beer and shrugged.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." He agreed a small smile on his own muzzle growing that made Maxine's tail flicker in sheer annoyance.

The two left the table leaving everyone in silence. Sunny suddenly clapped her hands together and happily stated, "Aren't they cute together!"

"That was flirting if I've ever seen it." Zig nodded with a chuckle.

"Shit, I can't believe that Neanderthal is actually going to score." Sylver snorted in disbelief. The sudden scrapping of chair legs was heard as Maxine violently pushed herself away from the table and stormed off into the crowd of drinkers. Everyone watched her go and Zig scratched his head.

"What was that all about?"

"Uh, hello? She's a chick." Sylver pointed out to the iguana. "What does that have to do with anything?" Liz demanded with a frown.

"Oh, come on. You've been there. You put two babes in one room and they'll immediately hate each other. It's a process that's as old as time."

"You're unbelievable." Liz uttered as she rolled her eyes.

"Don't pretend that it's never happened to you." Sylver huffed as he took a swig from his drink. "You're a fine looking girl but if another equally hot broad walks in the room then you'll want nothing more than to destroy her. If you and Max weren't friends, you'd be at each other's throats."

"Fine looking girl?" Sunny repeated, her arms crossed and a frown spread wide across her lips.

"What?" Sylver asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Sunny shook her head and stood up, walking away from the table.

"She must be on the rag." Sylver mused and continued to drink. Zig let out a disgusted snort and Liz was practically shooting lasers out of her eyes to make the wolf's head explode. She stood up and edged her way past the other reptile and out of the booth.

"Now where are you going?" Zig asked.

"I'm going to find Max." She replied and walked off into the crowd. Zig watched her go and then realized it was just him and Sylver left at the table. He heard the lupine laugh at something he was reading on his cell phone then proceeded to make crude sexual remarks. Zig sighed and took a rather large drink of his beverage in knowing that this might be a longer night than anticipated.

* * *

><p>Maxine threw back another shot, tequila this time, and grimaced as the liquid burned her throat slightly.<p>

It did little to calm her anger and she had to keep herself in check so she didn't crush the shot glass in her hand. She signaled the bartender to give her another all the while her ears flattened against her head and tail flickering from side to side. Maxine watched the golden liquid being poured into the shot glass and as soon as it was in, she brought it to her lips and swallowed it. She coughed this time, some of the alcohol going down the wrong tube and into her lungs. It burned fiercely in her chest but no more than her discontent and malice towards Judy Boom.

What the hell was wrong with Sid?

Maxine had told him all about Judy after Sunny and her's tryout and seemed to have shared the same opinion. So why was he grinning like a dope and showing her around? Was her description of Judy not horrible enough? Did he even listen to her?

Did he even care about what she had to say?

That last thought had a sudden sting to it albeit a small one but a sting none the less. What was worse was that her entire night had gone from good to complete shit pretty quick. All because of that rabbit. Maxine's anger was only fueled more by the thought of the woman and signaled again for another shot.

The cougar did not like her. That was painfully obvious. But there was something else that bothered her more. Something about the way she was looking at Sid and the way he returned it. Zig's comment about them flirting also stirred up something inside her as well. It was an unfamiliar feeling though not entirely foreign. A hot, tightening and bubbling feeling that sat in her gut like a bad serving of Chinese food. Maxine tapped her glass loudly to get the bartender's attention again and he refilled it for her, his eyes looking up to study whoever he was constantly serving. The feline ignored him and threw back the glass again and she slammed it back onto the bar.

"You want me to leave the bottle?" The bartender asked.

"You bet your ass I do." Maxine said through clenched teeth, swiping the bottle from him. He put his hands up and backed away knowing full well a customer who was better left to their drink. Maxine poured herself another glass, the liquor spilling over the rim and she inhaled it faster than the others. This caused another coughing fit and she leaned against the bar, running a hand through her hair.

_"Maybe I should slow down."_ She thought, her head starting to spin just a little.

She had planned on getting drunk tonight but with the recent developments, she found that once enjoyable notion to be lost in a haze of anger. The alcohol only seemed to make it worse, fueling her emotions rather than smothering them. Maxine leaned her head into her palm, a dull headache beginning to thump along to the background music.

"Max?"

She turned her head to see Liz beside her now, a troubled and concern look on her face.

"I take it you're mad about something." She guessed despite knowing the answer. Maxine pushed herself back up to a straighter position and poured another shot even though she felt no desire for one. "Mad? Why would I be mad? It's not like Sunny brought Long Ears McBitch Pants to something she wasn't invited to and Sid just fucks off with her leaving us in the dust."

"Long Ears Mc-...Oh. You mean Judy."

"Yes_. Judy._" Maxine hissed lowly.

"I know you don't like her, Max, but Sunny seems to have made peace with her." Liz said. "Which I don't friggin' get!" Her friend snarled.

"She was as big of a bitch to Sunny as she was to me! Sunny came to me about her and she is exactly what I say she is! She knows that! You _all_ know that!"

"But you're not on the same team as her, Max." Liz pointed out sternly with a frown. "You don't have to practice with her every week. Sunny does and if she would rather be friends with Judy than enemies then maybe she has the right approach."

"You too, Liz? Shit, I didn't realize everyone was so eager to get on the Judy Boom train." Maxine sneered.

"Stop it." Liz scolded, getting fed up with the cougar's attitude. "Judy was nice enough to all of us when she got here and you shouldn't let one bad experience justify this vendetta against her. Maybe try being nice to her. You two might get along."

Liz watched as Maxine remained silent but she could see the swear words and inhumane thoughts appearing in her head. The iguana sighed and ordered a drink for herself, leaning on the bar with her elbows.

"Besides, it looks like she and Sid have taken a liking to each other so-"

"Bullshit."

"Huh?"

"Sid does not like her." Maxine declared through clenched teeth.

"Er...Well they just walked off together so..." Liz mumbled awkwardly. "I don't give a damn what they did." Maxine told her, a hard and angry gaze set upon her.

"Sid's just being the nice guy he always is. I told him about her and he believes me, even if you guys don't. It's nothing to get excited over." She said.

That had to be it. Sid has always taken her side when it comes to this stuff. He was just too nice to say anything. Maxine looked away and back to the crowd behind her. As if on cue, she spotted Sid and Judy near the back of the building. Sid was showing her all the different photos of celebrities that the bar's owner had posed with over the years.

As she watched them talk and smile, she too felt her confidence in her earlier statements disappearing as well. Liz followed Maxine's line of vision and her eyebrows rose at what she saw. Neither woman said anything, their eyes still on the back of the room. Liz's drink arrived and she took a swig of it before settling it down onto a coaster. She let her attention rest on Maxine again who now stared into her empty glass.

"How…how have things been with you and Sid?" She suddenly asked. Maxine paused for a brief second before shaking her head and pushing away the bottle of tequila, no longer able to fake an interest in it.

"Things are fine." Was all she replied.

"Are you sure?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The cougar suddenly snapped.

"Nothing!" Liz quickly answered, putting her hands up. "It's just...well..."

"What, Liz? Spit it out."

"You just seem a tad...jealous?" The lizard finished quietly with an apologetic shrug. Her friend stared at her for what seemed like forever, making Liz feel very, very small. She was actually starting to break a sweat until Maxine finally spoke up.

"What do you mean jealous? Of Judy?" She asked.

"I just meant-"

"Why would I be jealous of Judy?"

"Well, she and Sid-"

"Sid's an idiot." Maxine cut her off again with a snarl. "He's wasting his time being Mr. Nice Guy to a girl I know he can't even stand. If he would rather spend New Year's with her than his friend, that's his problem."

"Max-"

"I need a cigarette." She growled, pushing away from the bar and roughly pushing her way through the crowds. Liz remained where she was, watching the cougar's red hair disappear in the sea of people. Sighing to herself she took a sip from her drink but then looked to her side as she noticed someone standing next to her. She found her fellow reptile, Zig fixing his glasses as he too watched Maxine's malicious march outside.

"I take it Max is upset about something." He said, looking down to her.

"Evidently." Liz snorted with a shake of her head.

"So what's gotten into her now?"

"Judy." Liz sighed, turning in her body back towards the bar. Zig nodded his head as he took a sip from his own drink, fully understanding the cause for the outburst now. It had become rather obvious as to how Maxine felt about the rabbit and it offered him no surprise.

"Is Sid still with her?" Zig asked. Liz nodded and held her drink close to her lips. "Yeah. They seem to be enjoying each other's company."

Unbeknownst to either iguana, they each began to reflect on the tales that were revealed to them by their friends. There was an urge to ask the other about both felines but stifled the thought. Seeing as the things that were told were rather sensitive, it seemed only appropriate that they were kept secret for the time being. Zig and Liz finished their drinks and returned back to their table, leaving Maxine and Sid to their own devices.

* * *

><p>"And that's the men's room where we tried flushing an escaped alligator down the toilet but it got stuck half way and now we have to feed it."<p>

"A _Simpsons_ fan are we?"

"Wow. Most people believe that line. I'm impressed." Sid nodded with a smirk as he finished taking Judy in a giant circle around the establishment. The rabbit gave him a crooked smile and a shake of her head, her large ears dancing behind her.

"if you don't know every line from that show in the nineties than you never really lived." She stated. Sid laughed out loud and brushed back some of his hair. "Too true, too true." He concurred.

Judy reached out and grabbed some of the hair he had brushed away, giving it a playful yank.

"What's with the Hair Metal look? Planning on a reunion tour with _Whitesnake_ and _Motley Crue_?" She teased.

"Everyone loves the classics and I wouldn't talk with that High School emo girl haircut. Been hanging out behind the library smoking to some _Linkin Park_, have we?" He teased back.

Judy could not hold back a laugh and gave him a mock applause. "Very nice. Good to meet a guy who has the balls to throw something back at me."

"Really?" Sid asked as the two wandered around the bar, looking for a better spot to converse among the crowds of drinkers. "You seem like the kinda girl who hangs with a rougher crowd. No offense."

"None taken." Judy shrugged, trying to avoid bumping shoulders with wandering drunks.

"I get that a lot which causes a lot of guys to feel intimidated by me. I guess roller girls get a certain image. Can't say I blame anyone who thinks that but there's a lot more to us than fishnets and broken noses."

"How so?" Sid questioned as he lead her outside to one of the patios. The chilly January air greeted them but was of little bother due to the hum of the heating lamps above. A few stragglers scattered around the patio but the party noise in the background was gratefully muffled to a volume where the two could talk.

"Well, Rhonda for example, one of our blockers, is a single mom. She bakes the cookies, sews the costumes for Halloween, and goes to the PTA meetings, reads bedtime stories, the whole nine yards. When she's with her kid, she's an adorable woman. But come game time, she'll decapitate you with a clothesline if she gets the chance." Judy explained, sticking her hands into her winter jacket pockets.

"I'll remember not to stand front row next game." Sid chuckled. He pulled out a seat at one of the nearby tables and sat down, motioning for her to do the same. "So tell me about Judy Boom. What's more to her?"

"Other than sore as hell right now?" She grimaced as she took her seat.

"That was a hell of a match tonight so I'm not surprised."

"I've been through worse, believe me. Nothing a hot bath and some alcohol won't fix." Judy moaned as she rubbed the stiffness from her neck. She placed her hands back in her pockets and looked at Sid with half lidded eyes. There was a sense of playfulness in them and Sid could feel the corner of his mouth tug upwards.

"There's not a whole lot to Judy Boom I think but maybe that's because I'm a bit of a loner." She confessed. "I'll spend time with the team after games but for the most part, I like to stick to myself."

"Any particular reason?" Sid asked, leaning his elbows on the table.

"Been that way since I was a kid. My parents weren't around much and I was never good at making friends. Old habits die hard I suppose."

"Despite that, I'm sure there's more to you than you're giving yourself credit for." Sid told her earnestly. Judy smiled at that and copied his position. "Oh? What makes you so sure?" She asked, her lips melting into a smile that Sid was finding himself liking more and more.

"There's always more to the strong silent types." Sid declared, his eyebrows rising with a smile of his own.

"And that would be?"

"Can't say for right now." Sid admitted with a shrug. "I haven't known you long enough."

"Maybe we'll have to change that." Judy responded, giving his leather wrist strap a playful tug. Sid chuckled and nodded his head. "Maybe we will."

Judy scootched her seat over a little closer to him and tucked her hands between her legs to keep them warm and leaned close. Her eyes wandered his frame for a moment before smiling again as she asked, "So what about Sid? What's he all about?"

"Piracy and whiskey. That's about it." He said with a laugh. "Honestly though, I'm as about as simple as it gets. Just give me my tunes, my booze, my games, my friends and my wrestling and I'm pretty content."

"Mmm. I like simple. And what about girls?"

"What about them?"

"You strike me as an individual who's popular with the ladies. I guess I'd like to know what sort of competition I'd be up against."

Sid's eyes met hers and her smile widened even more. He hadn't expected this to escalate as fast as it was. But in truth, Sid didn't mind one bit. Fast or not, he was sure about one thing already.

He liked her.

In the short time Sid had spent with her, he had made an easy discovery; Judy was tough. Not only physically but mentally too. It was something he had trouble finding in women and her playful demeanor made her all the more irresistible. He was starting to wish he had come to Sunny's games much earlier.

"Well…I don't think you have to worry about that." He told her softly. "No? Not even from your red headed friend?" Judy asked, hiding the malice in her voice.

Sid blinked at her question and laughed with a shake of his head. "No, no. Max and I are best friends. Nothing more. It's been that way since high school." He replied calmly, the past events not even a memory at this point.

"You'd like her." He added. "You two are a lot alike I think."

"Not too much I hope." Judy mumbled under her breath. Sid didn't seem to notice as he suddenly noticed the time on his watch.

"Oh, shit. Fifteen seconds to midnight." He said in surprise. Sid stood up, Judy following his lead. "We should get back to the others." The lion exclaimed as the muffled cries inside the bar all began to count down from ten.

_10!_

_9!_

He began to walk back to the bar when Judy suddenly stopped him, her hand reaching out and grabbing his wrist. Sid stopped and turned to face her. Judy smiled seductively at him and Sid felt a spike in his pulse.

_8!_

_7!_

"I think they can wait." Judy told him.

_6!_

_5!_

The rabbit slipped her hands up his chest and around his neck. Her body pressed against him and the last few seconds of the chilly December air seem to vanish.

_4!_

_3!_

Sid wrapped an arm around her waist and slid his other hand up the side of her neck, thumb resting on her chin. He cracked a sideways grin and said,

"I think they can too."

_2!_

_1!_

* * *

><p>Maxine flicked away the remainder of her cigarette and exhaled one last fume of smoke into the air.<p>

She had hoped that it would have done a better job than the alcohol to ease her anger but she could still feel it pulsating in the back of her head. She rubbed her eyes tiredly as the image of Sid and Judy walking off together replayed over and over in her head. The cougar just didn't understand.

"_What the hell is wrong with him?"_ She thought for what felt like the hundredth time that night. While she pondered the answer to that question, another one suddenly popped into her head.

"_You just seem a tad…jealous?"_

Maxine scoffed at the idea of being jealous of Judy Boom. The roller skater possessed nothing Maxine could ever be jealous about. What the hell kind of question was that to ask anyway? What was Liz trying to say? Why should she ever be jealous?

Maxine leaned her head back against the wall of the bar, staring up at the night sky as music from inside softly beat through the bricks. She reached up and fiddled with her medallion, the metal cool on her fingers. The touch of the object filled her head with thoughts that she had experienced in the bathroom not too long ago and she wanted to ram her head against the cement.

Why was she not over this yet?

Every time she thinks she's past it, the whole thing manages to creep back up on her. Maxine could understand that something's need time to work themselves out but this was already far removed from what she had been expecting. She brought her thumb up to her mouth and gently bit down on her nail.

Maybe…maybe she should talk to Sid about this.

The very notion of it made her shudder as it was the last thing she wanted to do. Maxine could already feel the humiliation seeping into her skin. But things were not improving and, quite frankly, she didn't think she could handle it anymore. She hated the idea but in her heart, she knew she could tell him anything.

This was Sid after all. The same guy, and only guy, she had trusted enough to reveal a side of herself to that very few knew about. She shared with him her fears and ambitions, Sid never once making her regret it as he only responded with reassurance and support. Sid, in many ways, was her rock when things tended to get bad for her although she had never told him that. So why should this be any different? After all, he had shrugged the whole thing off the next day as if it had never happened.

Maxine felt her anger with him and Judy Boom slip away as it was replaced with a warm feeling of trust and comfort. She could picture him laughing and telling her that she needed to relax. Maxine could see the resolution to all this and perhaps even comforting still, the return to the way things used to be permanently. No more relapses or awkward situations.

The feline shook her head with a slight grin. Why hadn't she just gone to him in the first place? It wasn't as if Liz's advice wasn't helpful but maybe she could have avoided all this drama in her head if she had just been honest with him.

Maxine looked down at her watch and saw that there was less than two minutes to midnight. Pushing off the wall, she made her way back to the bar.

"_Screw it."_ She thought, stepping back into the warm and crowded establishment. _"I'm going to ring in the New Year with my friends. No more of this bullshit. The hell with Judy Boom. She can stand there all she wants and make passes at Sid but I know he trust me and he believes me. He'll probably tell me tomorrow about how much he hated humoring her. Serves him right for-"_

Maxine stopped in her thoughts as she came to a halt in the middle of the bar. Everyone around her was watching the television screen that displayed the New Year's countdown at Times Square. She could hear them begin to countdown from ten but Maxine's attention was diverted to the scene she could see transpiring out on the patio.

_10!_

_9!_

Sid and Judy were talking. Sid appeared to move towards the door but the rabbit grabbed hold of his wrist.

_8!_

_7!_

She said something to him and she saw Sid's face transform from surprise to sharing the same flirtatious visage that Judy was wearing.

_6!_

_5!_

Her hands traveled up his chest and her arms wrapped themselves around the lion's neck. Maxine was having trouble deciding whether or not what she was witnessing was real. A tiny voice spoke out inside her, that Sid would push her away. He had to. There was no way he wouldn't.

_4!_

_3!_

That voice was quickly silenced when she saw him return the embrace, his hand tipping her chin upwards towards him. He said something and a soft smile spread across his lips.

"_Sid?..."_ Her brain whispered.

_2!_

_1!_

_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_

The moment the clock ran down, Sid and Judy kissed. Judy's hands lost themselves in his hair and Sid pulled her tighter against him with his arm. Their kiss deepened as the bar broke out into a slightly off key rendition of _Auld Lang Syne_. People bumped into her and drinks were even spilled onto her but Maxine seemed ignorant of all of it. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her best friend in a tight lip lock with a girl she despised with a fiery passion.

They broke away and Judy took his phone from him and typed something in, most likely her number. She stuck it back into his pocket and shared another kiss with him before giving his hair a playful tug and walking away. Sid watched her go and Maxine could see perhaps the largest smile she had ever witnessed form on his face.

She suddenly felt herself be pulled backwards into a tight hug from Sunny who had appeared from behind her with Liz, Zig and a reluctant Sylver. They all, excluding Sylver, wished one another Happy New Year but Maxine was deaf to their praise of good will and even numb to Sunny's bone crushing display of affection.

All she could do was watch Sid who had yet to stop smiling and somewhere inside her, that tiny voice that had tried to reassure her moments ago, suddenly screamed out in anguish.

* * *

><p><em>AN: OH. MY. So...that just happened. What kind of madness is going to happen now? You might ask? You're just going to have to wait and find out! Cya in chapter 6!_


End file.
